Aquatic Passion
by Bayleef Stardust
Summary: At the age of 16, Ash and Misty decide to travel through Johto together. At first, everything goes well for the young couple, but later, they start arguing again as usual. Will their relationship survive? And will Ash ever win a League tournament? Winner of the PokeShipping section in Serebiiforums' Shipping Fanfiction Oscars in 2013. (PokeShipping, Ash x Misty)
1. Chapter 1

After losing to Cameron in the quarterfinals of the Unova League, he said goodbye to Iris and Cilan, and went to Pallet Town six years ago. It was a tradition. Every time when a league was finished, he went to Pallet Town, where his mother lived. Most of his Pokemon also lived there, in Professor Oak's laboratory. As usual, Ash did well in the League, but he didn't reach the final round, and as usual, he went back to Pallet Town. And just like six years ago after the Unova League, he lost a League again and returned home.

He arrived on a warm summer morning. When he got home, he greeted his mother, and went straight to Professor Oak. He asked if he could leave the Pokemon he caught in the Unova region with Professor Oak, and if he could see some of his older friends. He, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, sixteen years old, winner of the Orange League, had a lot of Pokemon.

There was Bulbasaur, a Grass Pokemon who lived at Oak's lab, who was great at preventing fights between the Pokemon living at Professor Oak's lab. There was Heracross, who always sucked juice out of Bulbasaur's bulb. There was Swellow, a very fast and strong bird Pokemon. Ash had a lot of different Pokemon, which he caught during his travels in Kanto, the Orange Islands, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova. Ash didn't knew what Pokemon he wanted to take with him.

"Professor Oak, could you please advise me what Pokemon I should take with me?" asked Ash.

"Of course!", Professor Oak said, in a nice way. Then, Bayleef tackled Professor Oak and gave Ash a hug. He caught Bayleef as a Chikorita in the Johto region. After leaving Bayleef at the lab before traveling to Hoenn, Ash didn't saw Bayleef very often anymore. Bayleef had a crush on him, and missed him very much.

"Ash, you should take Bayleef with you!" suggested Professor Oak. "She really misses you!"

He decided to followed Professor Oak's advice. Then, he saw his Totodile. Ash didn't use Totodile in battles that often. The blue crocodile was dancing, and he was very happy to see his trainer again.

"I'll take Totodile with me," he said to Professor Oak. "Of course", Oak replied.

The boy from Pallet Town had to choose three more Pokemon. He already decided to take Bayleef and Totodile with him. He also has Pikachu, his first Pokemon ever. He took the yellow Pokemon to every region he travelled to. He asked Professor Oak for help. Then, Tracey came to Professor Oak and Ash.

"Hi Ash! Long time no see!" he said. "Hello Tracey!" he replied. Tracey was a Pokemon Watcher who travelled with Ash through the Orange Islands.

"I heard your conversation with Professor Oak, and I'd like to give you some advice" he said. Ash was willing to listen. "How about Bulbasaur and Squirtle? Those two really impressed me when we travelled together!"

Ash decided to follow that advice. Even though the professor wasn't happy with it, Ash took Bulbasaur with him as well. Bulbasaur was caught in the Kanto region, and proved to be a trusty friend, and a great battler as well.

Squirtle was also caught in the Kanto region. While traveling in the Johto region, Ash decided to leave Squirtle with Officer Jenny, to become a fireman with the Squirtle Squad. However, when the Squirtle Squad failed to save a child who was trapped in a burning house, the Squad members were all fired. The child was eventually saved by firemen, but the Squirtle Squad failed to do their job properly. Since that day, Squirtle lived together with Ash's other Pokemon in Professor Oak's laboratory.

"I need one more…" thought Ash. Then, he saw his Quilava running and thought "Hey, how about Quilava?" Professor Oak agreed with him and Ash was all set to travel. "Where will you go now?" asked the professor. Ash didn't know. The only thing he knew was that he was missing something in his life. He travelled with many traveling companions. He and Iris were just friends, and the same applied to May and Dawn. But there was one girl who always had a special place in his heart. Her name was Misty. She was his special one.

The weather was great, and Ash felt like having a relaxing afternoon of sunbathing, eating ice cream and swimming. He answered Professor Oak's question and said he would just go to the beach, and then he'd travel through Johto again. He loved his last journey through Johto, together with Misty and Brock.

And so he did. After arriving at the beach, he undressed and put on his red swimming trunks. He was searching for a spot to put down his towel and relax. And that's when he saw her. She was looking as beautiful as always. Her hair was much longer than when he saw her for the last time, like the way it looked when she wears her mermaid costume, which she once wore during a show in the Cerulean Gym. He also thought her light blue bikini was looking really good on her. Ash was also surprised to see she had her Togetic back. He immediately ran to her. He wanted to hug and kiss her. "Misty, I've missed you!"

Misty used to travel with Ash through Kanto, the Orange Islands and Johto. He missed her. He fell in love with her when she saw her for the first time, despite not fully realizing it until he was travelling on his own when he was thirteen years old. And she also was in love with him, but never really had the guts to confess her feelings. When Ash returned home after losing to Harrison in the Johto League, Misty went home, because her sisters forced her to become the Cerulean Gym Leader. Back then, her sisters went on a trip around the world and made Misty fill in for them, not caring about her personal life, freedom and happiness.. She had the dream of becoming a Water Pokemon master, and traveling with Ash would've been a better way to improve than staying at the gym because of her sisters's laziness. She missed Ash so much, while being held back in her dream by her sisters.

Six years later, the inevitable happened. After six years of depression, she was sick of it. At night, she took six her Togetic, Azurill, Psyduck, Staryu, Corsola and Dewgong with her and called Professor Oak at night, sending him her other Pokemon. Then, she escaped the Gym at night. She knew her sisters could do just fine at the Gym without her, like they did six years ago when she travelled with Ash and Brock. And if they wouldn't do fine, they could always appoint someone else. The feeling of responsibility for something that was actually her sisters's responsibility made her stay at the Gym without even attempting an escape for six years, but she couldn't take it anymore. She had to do harsh labour every day and had no free time or personal freedom, causing her to be depressed.

"Hello, Professor Oak!" she said.

"Hello Misty! How are you doing?" he replied.

"Not very well. I'm going to escape the Gym, and now I need you to take care of some Pokemon of mine for the time being," she answered.

"No problem! I'm happy to help you!" answered Oak. "What your sisters did to you is really mean, I understand why you want to escape!"

And so it happened. Misty took Togetic, Azurill, Psyduck, Staryu, Corsola and Dewgong with her, and sent her other Pokemon to Professor Oak.

"Professor, you probably don't know, but could you tell me where Ash is? I miss him so much..." she asked. She was crying, her heart was broken when she had to leave her special one because of her sisters.

"He just went to the beach, just outside of Pallet Town! You can go there as well!" Oak replied. Misty was so happy when hearing that. Her tears were quickly replaced by a big smile.

It was a beautiful day for the red-haired girl. She finally left Cerulean Jail, also known as Cerulean City Gym. And even better: today, she was going to see her boyfriend again, after six years of missing him and being depressed.

When she heard that, she decided to go to the beach, near Pallet Town. She smiled at Togetic, her best friend. "Togetic, we are going to see Ash again. And you can see Pikachu again!" Misty obtained Togetic as a Togepi. After seeing Ash for a short while in Hoenn, she released her Togetic in the Mirage Kingdom. However, one day, Togetic was hovering around the Cerulean City Gym and returned to Misty. She never knew why, but was very happy about it. While her best friend appeared, she was suffering from a severe depression. However, the Happiness Pokemon was able to bring a spark of positivity, fighting spirit and optimism in her life, something she missed for five years. This also gave her the confidence she needed to escape the Gym. Togetic was like a sister to her, the awesome sister she never had, because her real sisters were such selfish airheads. Togetic didn't like staying in her Poke Ball, so she hovers and flies around Misty.

At the beach, Misty took off her clothes and put on her light blue bikini. She was laying on a red towel, and Togetic was sunbathing next to her. She was thinking about the boy she loves. About how his Pikachu ruined her bike, about how she used the bike as an excuse to travel with him and about his childish behaviour. It made him annoying and immature, but oh so attractive... Then, she saw a yellow tail.

She immediately recognized it: that must be the tail of Pikachu. "Is Ash indeed here?" she thought. She saw a guy with black hair, wearing red swimming trunks. And then, she realized it was Ash! Misty's feelings were just as strong as ever: she was still as attracted to Ash as she was in the past. He was running at her with a very happy smile, and with his Pikachu on his shoulder. "Ash, I missed you so much! I'm so glad to see you again!"


	2. Chapter 2

Ash and Misty looked at each other. They were very happy to see each other again. They gave each other a hug, followed by a kiss on the lips.

"Misty, I missed you so much! This is the best moment of my life!" yelled Ash.

"And also the best moment of my life!" Misty said.

He put his yellow towel next to the towel she was sunbathing on. He asked "what did you do in the past six years?"

"Being forced to be a Gym Leader against my will, I'm so happy I left the Cerulean Jail now!", she said.

"How did you leave? I thought your sisters would never allow that!" he asked.

"I just sent Professor Oak most of my Pokemon, took some with me, and escaped at night. I did the same as they did to me six years ago," Misty replied. "That serves them right," Ash agreed.

Then, they were looking at Pikachu and Togetic playing together, just like they did when Ash and Misty travelled together. "They like seeing each other again!" Misty said. "Maybe... They are more than just friends."

"Yeah, maybe..." Ash said.

"Just like us!" Misty said, knowing Ash noticed her feelings now, and knowing Ash loves her back. Pikachu was blushing, and looked angry. Misty said "Aww, that's cute! Pikachu is just like us when we were ten years old!"

Ash told her what he did during the past six years "I took part in leagues in different regions, I did well in those leagues, but didn't win, not even one league… But I did win the Kanto Battle Frontier," Misty congratulated him on that.

She turned around, to lay on her belly. "Ash, could you rub my back with sunscreen?"

"Of course!" he replied! She enjoyed the sunscreen massage from her boyfriend.

"Misty, where will you be going now?" asked Ash.

"I'll go to Johto, to take part in the Whirl Cup again, and to travel again. And you?" replied Misty.

"I will also go to Johto, I want to take part in the Johto League again. Shall we travel together again?" Ash asked.

"Of course! I'd love that! We'll be together forever!" she said. "Do you agree we're boyfriend and girlfriend now?"

"Of course! We will definitely be together forever!" he answered. "When I was thirteen years old, I missed you, and finally realized my feelings for you."

Pikachu's stomach growled. Ash said "Pikachu, I see you are hungry. I'll send out my other Pokemon, and it'll be lunch time!" Misty also sent out her Pokemon. Pikachu and Togetic already were out of their Poke Balls, and now, Bayleef, Totodile, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Quilava, Corsola, Psyduck, Staryu, Dewgong and Azurill emerged from their Poke Balls.

"Lunch time!" Ash shouted, giving all Pokemon some food. He gave his Pikachu more food than the other Pokemon. Ash always treated Pikachu better than his other Pokemon. As a result, he always gave Pikachu more food than his other Pokemon. Because of that, Pikachu was a little chubby, just like back in Kanto.

"Ash, why is Pikachu so chubby?" Misty asked.

"Because he eats so much food." Ash replied.

A few minutes after the Pokemon finished their food and got back in their Poke Balls, they saw a girl with an Espeon. She had purple hair, and was wearing a red bathing suit. She waved to Ash and Misty. "Hello! Long time no see!"

"Hello Sakura, nice to see you here!" Misty replied. They met each other in Johto, six years ago. She and Sakura developed a friendship back then.

"Misty, I became a much better trainer in the past few years. Shall we have a battle?" Misty said "Challenge accepted!"

Ash decided to be the referee. "This is a battle between Misty and Sakura. There is no time limit, both trainers will use one Pokemon."

Sakura choose to battle with her Espeon. Misty took out her Poke Ball and sent out Azurill.

"Azurill, use your Bubblebeam!" Misty commanded!

"Espeon, evade and use your Swift!" Sakura said. Espeon evaded the attack and hit Azurill.

Azurill got hit, but wasn't defeated yet. "Azurill, Double-Edge!" the former Cerulean City Gym Leader said. Azurill did what his trainer told him and gave Espeon a harsh tackle. Espeon didn't expect that, was hit and fell on the ground.

Sakura looked worried. "No! Espeon! Can you still battle?"

"Azurill can't battle anymore. Victory goes to Azurill and Misty!" Ash said. Misty looked happy, and Azurill was looking happy as well.

Suddenly, Azurill started glowing. A white light was coming from it. "Azurill is evolving!" said Sakura. Misty said "He evolved into Marill!"

"Marill Mar!" the cute Mouse Pokemon said.

"Misty, I still have a lot to learn. Thank you for the battle!" Sakura said. "I'll be going to the Pokemon Center, I want to know if Espeon is badly hurt."

"Thank you, Sakura! I hope to see you again soon!" Misty replied.

"That was amazing, Misty! Just one hit! I didn't expect Azurill to be that strong," Ash said.

Misty looked happy. "Thank you, Ash!" she said. "And it's Marill now. Marill and I have been training a lot, and I used him in Gym battles often."

Ash and Misty left the beach, and went to the airport. They took a plane to New Bark Town, where Ash could register for the Johto League. They arrived late in the evening, and decided to sleep at the Pokemon Center. They slept in a two-person bed, and lay close to each other. Then, they did something they never did before. After that, they said good night to each other, kissed and fell asleep.

The next morning, they woke up and Ash immediately registered for the Johto League. Their first destination was Violet City, where Ash would get his first Gym Badge. When they walked out of the Pokemon Center, they saw a flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto, and one Pidgeot flying above them. Ash noticed the Pidgeot that led the flock was his Pidgeot!

Ash caught Pidgeot when he just started his journey. The bird was caught as a Pidgeotto, in Viridian Forest. He was a trusty friend and a reliable Pokemon. When Ash came back home after losing to Ritchie in the Kanto League, Pidgeotto evolved into Pidgeot and was released. Ash promised to come back for him after returning from the Orange Islands, but Ash never fulfilled that promise. And so, Pidgeot was looking for Ash to fulfill the promise, and finally succeeded in its mission.

"Pidgeot, it's great seeing you back! Sorry I never saw you again! Do you forgive me?"

Pidgeot forgived Ash, and hugged him. "Pidgeot, do you want to stay with me?" asked the Pallet Town-native trainer. The big bird nodded his head, implying he wanted to stay with Ash.

"Ash, you already have six Pokemon with you. One of them should be sent to Professor Oak if you want Pidgeot back," Misty said.

"You are right, Misty! Let's call him on the phone in the Pokemon Center!" Ash said.

"Hello Professor Oak!" he said.

"Hi Ash!" replied the professor.

"Professor, I got reunited with my Pidgeot again! In order to take him with me, I need to send you a Pokemon. Which one would you like?" Ash asked.

"That's wonderful! And if you don't mind, I'd like to get Quilava. I was doing research on him before you came, and I'd like to continue doing that," the professor said.

"OK, I'll send you Quilava," Ash said. He sent the Fire Pokemon to Professor Oak, and received an empty Poke Ball to put his old friend in. "Thank you, professor!"

"No problem, Ash! Thank you as well! Bye!" said Oak.

"Bye!" replied Ash.

"Well Ash, shall we go on our way to Violet City now?" asked Misty.

"Of course!" Ash said.

Just before they entered a forest, a man wearing a white shirt appeared. "Would one of you like to buy a Magikarp? It's just 500 Pokemon Dollar!" he asked.

"No, thanks," Misty said. She knew who the man was: a swindler who lied to people about Magikarp. Magikarp are very weak, but he always lied to trick trainers into buying a Magikarp.

"Please? I am poor, my children have to do child labour to earn enough money to eat just enough to barely survive, and I can't pay the rent of my house anymore in a few months," the salesman lied.

"I know you are lying. Leave us alone or we'll inform the police about this!" Ash snapped.

"Goodbye!" said the weird man, and he ran away.

Ash and Misty left New Bark Town, and went on their way. They would go to Violet City. In order to get there, they would go west first, to Cherrygrove City. There, they would go north, heading for Violet City.


	3. Chapter 3

Ash and Misty entered a forest. A few hours later, they saw an Ariados while walking through the forest. Misty screamed and was very scared. "ASH! IT'S A BUG! DO SOMETHING!"

They heard a laughing voice behind them. They saw a man with brown hair. He was wearing a blue shirt and a white, sleeveless cardigan. Ash and Misty knew him well: it was Danny, the Navel Island Gym Leader. There, he flirted with Misty, despite being way too old for her.

"Hello Misty! Good to see you again! Do you want to leave this kid and be together with me?" Danny asked.

"No, of course not!" she said, in an angry voice. "You are way too old for me, you pervert!"

"But didn't you like me, when we met on Navel Island?" he asked.

"Of course not!" she replied. "I was flattered by your compliments, but I never liked you at all!"

Danny looked sad and tried to put an arm on Misty's shoulder. She walked away and evaded the hand.

Ash's face got red, he became very angry and yelled "Don't you even dare to touch her! You'll have to go through me first! Did you really come here just for Misty?" at Danny.

"No," answered Danny. "I'm here to catch an Ariados, and I just saw one. But I'd rather catch your girlfriend!"

"You won't!" Ash replied.

"I'll handle this!" Misty said. "Go, Dewgong! Use your Aurora Beam on him!" Dewgong did what his trainer told him to, and Danny was hit by a colourful beam.

"Danny is blasting off again!" the Gym Leader screamed, while he was shot into the sky.

"Well done, Misty!" Ash said. "You got rid of that guy, awesome!" Ash and Misty gave each other a hug, and continued their journey.

It was 12 o'clock in the afternoon. The weather was very hot. Ash also got sweaty from carrying Pikachu on his shoulder, who was heavier than some years ago. Ash said "I can't take it anymore. It's so warm..." he said.

"I agree... We should stop for a while, cool down and have lunch." said Misty.

Ash agreed. He sent out his Totodile and Squirtle, to use the Water Pokemon as a fountain, to cool down. Ash and Misty took off their clothes and stepped under the Pokemon fountain. It was very refreshing. After a small Water Gun douche, they quickly put on their clothes, because they didn't want anyone seeing them being naked.

They were just in time: a few seconds later, they heard a loud, laughing voice. "Hello Ash and Misty!" It was their old friend Brock, who travelled with them in the past.

"Hey Brock! It's great to see you again!" Ash said. "How are you doing?" Misty asked.

"I'm doing great. I am a Pokemon Doctor now, and I'm the assistant of Nurse Joy, in Pewter City. Also, she and I are in a relationship! She's so hot!" Brock answered.

"That's wonderful, Brock! You finally have some luck in your love life," Misty answered.

"And how is your love life? Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.

"Yes, Ash and I are boyfriend and girlfriend!" she replied.

"That doesn't surprise me at all. I already thought so when we travelled together. However, you two were too immature and stubborn to admit it," Brock said.

"That's true…" Ash replied. "Brock, will you travel with us again?" he asked.

"Sorry, but I can't. I just came here to run an errand for Nurse Joy. She wanted me to get some medicine in the New Bark Town Pokemon Center. However, when I got that and wanted to take the plane back to Kanto, a strange salesman stalked me, trying to sell me a Magikarp, so I ran in the forest to get rid of him. Then, I saw you two!" replied the former Pewter City Gym Leader.

"We know who you mean. The Magikarp Salesman tried to sell us a Magikarp as well," Ash answered. "Then, goodbye! Tell Nurse Joy we said hi! We'll definitely see each other again someday!" he said.

"Bye Ash! Bye Misty! It was nice to see you two again!" Brock replied. They waved at him, and decided to have lunch.

Ash made sandwiches for Misty and himself. After traveling alone for some years, he took over the role Brock had when he travelled with him. Brock always cooked, and also made lunch. "Here you are, Misty. I hope you like it."

"I love it! That's even better than Brock's sandwiches," Misty replied.

"Togetic and Pikachu, I also have food for you two!" Ash said. "I put some ketchup on your food, Pikachu. I know you love that."

"Pika Pika" the electric mouse Pokemon answered. He quickly ate his food, and loved the ketchup on it. Then, he looked at Togetic. He really liked the white Happiness Pokemon. When Ash and Misty made teasing comments about it, he blushed and looked angry.

Togetic giggled at the Electric Pokemon and tickled him. He blushed. "Aww, those two little lovebirds are so cute!" Misty said.

"They definitely are!" answered Ash.

After a delicious lunch, Ash asked Misty if they could travel onwards. "Of course, Ash!" she answered.

In the evening, they reached Cherrygrove City. They were hungry, and had dinner at the Pokemon Center. They would sleep there as well.

Late in the evening, Ash asked "Misty, shall we watch the sunset together?"

"Ash, you became much more romantic than six years ago! Of course we will do that!"

"Yeah, well... When I travelled with Brock and without you, he gave me some advice on how to be romantic. I didn't really get it at first, but my mom helped me to act more romantic."

While they were watching, a brown-haired girl was standing behind them. "Hello, cute couple!" It was Melody, a girl they met at Shamouti Island. "Do you finally admit your relationship?"

"Hello Melody! Long time no see!" Misty replied. "And we denied our relationship like little kids in the past, but we matured now. We are officially boyfriend and girlfriend."

"That's great! I am a Pokemon Trainer now, could one of you two battle me?" Melody asked.

"I'd love to battle you! We'll both use one Pokemon," Ash replied. "Misty, will you be the referee?"

"Well, now Melody screwed up our romantic evening anyways, why not..." she answered.

Ash chose to battle with his Bayleef. Melody took a Poke Ball and sent out her Ninetales.

"Ninetales, Flamethrower!" Melody commanded.

"Bayleef, jump with your Vine Whip to evade and use your Body Slam!" said Ash.

Bayleef did what his trainer told him to. She didn't get hit, and landed on the Fire Pokemon. "Ninetales, can you still go on?" Melody asked. Ninetales was still able to battle, despite being hit badly.

She told Ninetales to use Quick Attack, and then Overheat. Bayleef couldn't evade, and was hit.

"Bayleef! No! Can you go on?" Ash asked. He looked worried.

Bayleef stood up, and looked angrily at Ninetales. "That's the spirit, Bayleef! You can do it!" Ash said. "Bayleef, grab Ninetales's mouth with your Vine Whip, so it can't use Fire moves again!" The Grass Pokemon did what her trainer told her to.

"Ninetales, no!" Melody screamed. "Bayleef! Now, use your Body Slam!" Ash said. The Grass Pokemon jumped, hurled herself at Ninetales, defeating the Fire type.

"Ninetales is unable to battle. Victory goes to Bayleef and Ash!" Misty said.

"Ninetales, you did well. Come back in your Poke Ball and have some rest. Ash, you did a great job! Where did you learn that technique?" Melody asked.

"I did this during the Johto League, in a battle against a Houndoom. I improvised it back then, and I thought it would be useful now as well," Ash answered.

"Bye, you little lovebirds! I'll be off now!" Melody said.

"Bye, Melody! It was nice to see you again!" Ash and Misty replied simultaneously.

The sun was gone, and there was beautiful moonlight. They were tired, and went to the Pokemon Center to spend the night there.

"Pika pika!" said Pikachu. He was looking at Togetic, who was already asleep. Then, he fell asleep as well.

"Good night, Misty!" Ash said.

"Good night, Ash!" she replied.

They gave each other a hug, kissed each other and fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Ash and Misty woke up in their two-person bed in the Cherrygrove City Pokemon Center. After having breakfast at the Pokemon Center, they left Cherrygrove and went on their way to Violet City.

"Bye, Nurse Joy! Thank you for the good stay here, and for the breakfast!" Ash and Misty said simultaneously. "No problem! Take care!" she replied.

After walking for a long time, they were close to Violet Ciry. It was still very warm, just like yesterday. Misty suggested "Hey, I know! Let's go to the beach, it's on the route to Violet City," Ash agreed.

At the beach, they undressed and put on their swimwear. They put their towels down and lied on those. They were relaxing, together with Pikachu and Togetic. Then, a girl with long, blue hair wearing a pink bikini said "Hello Misty! Great to see you again!"

"Hey, Marina! It's great to see you again!" the former Cerulean Gym Leader replied. "How are you doing?"

Marina told Misty she was doing fine, and that she's been travelling around for the past years. She was in Johto to take part in the Whirl Cup, in which Misty wanted to take part as well. Marina and Misty met on the Orange Islands. Marina and Misty had a good battle there, which Misty won, using a wild Golduck.

"Shall we battle again?" Marina asked. "It would be a good start to my training for the Whirl Cup!"

"I agree! Sure we'll battle! Shall we both use two Pokemon?" Misty asked. Her rival agreed. Ash would be the referee.

Misty took a Poke Ball out of her bag. She sent out Dewgong. The white Pokemon looked strong and determined to win. Marina sent out her Octillery.

"Dewgong, Horn Drill!" commanded Misty. Octillery was defeated in just one hit! "Oh no, Octillery!" Marina cried. She sent out her Magikarp. "I am very proud of this Magikarp. I bought it from a salesman yesterday, and it's quite strong! I didn't expect that!"

"Magikarp, Tackle!" The red fish tackled Dewgong. The Pokemon with the horn was hurt, but not defeated yet. Misty commanded her Pokemon to do a Aurora Beam attack. Unfortunately for her, Magikarp didn't get hurt at all.

Marina told Magikarp to finish the battle with Flail, and it did! After hitting Dewgong very hard, he was defeated.

"Dewgong, take your rest now. You did a very nice job!" Misty said. She sent out Togetic to battle. As a Togepi, she rarely battled, but now she's a Togetic, she became much stronger. Pikachu, who was standing next to Ash wished Togetic good luck. "Pikachu Pi!" Togetic blushed and told Pikachu she'd win this battle for him. "Toge... Togetic!"

"Aww, how cute! Your Togetic and his Pikachu are in love! Just like you two!" Marina said. Misty agreed on that, and told Togetic to do a Headbutt attack. The red fish was hit, but not defeated.

"Magikarp, Tackle!" Magikarp came at Togetic and hit her. She was badly hurt, Magikarp's tackle was a very strong attack. Then, Magikarp started glowing. From a weak fish, he changed in a blue, angry-looking Pokemon. He evolved into Gyarados. "Awesome! You evolved! Gyarados, we can celebrate that with a win! Use your Thunderbolt!"

Togetic was badly hurt and looked defeated. "Togetic, no! Can you still go on?" asked Misty. "It's just a friendly battle, losing won't have any consequences."

Despite what her trainer told her, Togetic stood up and was still able to battle. Togetic was determined to win. "Togetic, do your Metronome!" her trainer said. The Metronome ended up to be Zap Cannon. Gyarados was hit with a strong electric attack and was defeated. "No! Gyarados!" Marina screamed. "Gyarados is unable to battle. Victory goes to Misty and Togetic!" Ash said.

"Wow, Misty! You are a really good trainer! You defeated Sakura back in Kanto, and now you won this battle. Your Togetic also impressed me!" he said. Misty thanked him with a kiss on his cheek. He was blushing, just like Pikachu. Pikachu just received a kiss on the cheek from Togetic.

"Thank you for a great battle. Your Togetic did an awesome job! Your Dewgong is also very impressive." Marina said. "I still have a lot to learn. I must go now. Bye!"

"Thank you for the compliments! The Pokemon deserve them, not me! Your Gyarados was also very strong. Congratulations with the evolution of your Magikarp, you are also a winner today. Bye, Marina!" Misty said. She and Marina waved at each other.

"Misty, I think you have a rival from now on!" Ash said. She agreed. They were relaxing on their towels again, lying very close to each other and giving each other a lovely hug. Pikachu and Togetic did the same. They got Pokemon food from Ash, who put ketchup on Pikachu's food.

Then, Psyduck popped out of his Poke Ball. The yellow Duck Pokemon ate Pikachu's and Togetic's food. Misty was very angry, and beat up Psyduck, who didn't understand what he did wrong. She let him return to his Poke Ball, and Ash gave Pikachu and Togetic a new supply of food.

After lunch, a big limousine arrived. Gary stepped out, with his cheerleaders, and his new girlfriend Jasmine. Gary was Ash's rival. After he lost to Ash in the Johto League, he decided to be a Pokemon researcher. However, after missing the life of a trainer, he decided to combine training and researching. Jasmine was the Gym Leader of Olivine City in Johto.

"Hey Ashyboy! Look how hot my new girlfriend is!" the troll said. "She's hotter than Misty!"

Ash and Misty both looked very angry. Ash said "Misty is more beautiful, hotter and nicer than Jasmine!" Misty wanted to beat Gary up, but she kept her self-control, with a lot of trouble.

"No, she isn't! She looks ugly, and Jasmine is hot!" Gary replied.

"Gary, I challenge you to a Pokemon battle to defend Misty's honour!" Ash screamed in an angry voice. Gary accepted the challenge. "I'm a better trainer than you, Ashyboy! You're going down!"

Then, a man with blue hair came along. "Nice to see you again, Ash and Misty! Ash, I heard you and Gary will battle now. I'll be the referee," It was Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader.

"That's nice, Falkner!" Misty said. "GO ASH!" she screamed. "I'll be your cheerleader, together with Togetic and Pikachu!"

Ash sent out his Bayleef, while Gary sent out his Scizor.

"Oh no! Ash is at a big type disadvantage!" Misty thought.

"Go Bayleef, Razor Leaf!" Ash commanded. The yellow Grass Pokemon shook her head, hurling sharp leaves at Scizor. Scizor fell down on the sand. He was defeated in one hit! Falkner declared Ash and Bayleef as the winners.

"Amazing, Ash!" Misty said, with a happy voice! "Beating such a strong Scizor in just one hit!"

"You should congratulate Bayleef, she won. not me!" Ash replied.

"That was a good battle from your side, Ash," Falkner said. "You won't be a pushover for me."

"Thank you, Falkner!" Ash said.

Then, Ash looked at Gary, who was looking sad. He was humiliated by his rival. "So, Gary! Who was going to be defeated?"

While running to the limousine, Gary and Jasmine started cursing. Then, they left the beach.

"Ash, Misty, I will be going back to the Gym now. Ash, shall we have a battle tomorrow?" Falkner asked.

"Of course! Misty and I will stay on the beach for a while, and we'll come to Violet as soon as possible. Tomorrow, we can definitely battle," Ash replied.

"That's fine, I'll see you tomorrow, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon," the Violet City Gym Leader answered. "Bye, Falkner. We'll see you tomorrow," his opponent for tomorrow said.

After Ash, Misty, Togetic and Pikachu had dinner, many people left the beach. Ash and Misty didn't. They were relaxing together, and they were the only people left at the beach at 8 o'clock in the evening. "Misty, it's so relaxing, just laying on our towels, next to each other. And now all other people at the beach are gone, and with this beautiful sunset, it's so romantic here! I love you!" Ash said.

"Thank you so much, Ash! I also love you!" Misty replied. They gave each other a hug, and kept cuddling and hugging. Pikachu and Togetic were looking, and also started hugging and cuddling. They liked the fact that their trainers had a very romantic and special evening at the beach.

Two hours later, they left the beach and went to Violet City. They decided to stay in the Pokemon Center, where they could sleep in a two-person bed. Pikachu and Togetic were very tired and fell asleep quickly.

"Good night, Ash!" Misty said. "Good night, Misty!" Ash replied. And they kissed each other.


	5. Chapter 5

Next morning, Ash and Misty woke up in their two-person bed. They said good morning to each other and had breakfast at the Pokemon Center.

"Today is your big day, Ash!" Misty said.

"Yes, it is!" Ash replied.

"Did you already plan a strategy for the battle?" she asked.

"Umm... No..." he answered. "I decided what Pokemon to use, but not a strategy. But I'll be fine, improvisation is also a way to win."

"You are right, improvisation often got you some nice and surprising wins," She replied.

"Pikachu Pi!" Pikachu said. He wanted more food. Ash said "No, Pikachu! We have an important battle today. If we win, you'll get more food afterwards. You'll have to earn it this time!" Pikachu looked sad, and Togetic gave the Electric Pokemon a portion of her food.

After lunch, they walked to the Gym. Togetic was flying next to Misty, Pikachu was sitting on Ash's shoulder. Pikachu and Togetic were looking at each other. They liked each other a whole lot. "They're cute, huh?" asked Misty.

Then, they arrived at the Violet City Gym and rang the doorbell. Falkner opened the door. "Welcome, friends! Ash, today you're gonna lose!"

"No, I'm not!" Ash replied. "You're the one who's gonna lose!"

Then, they went upstairs and got to the battlefield. It was an open-air field: Falkner was a Flying-type trainer, and wanted to use the sky as well, to let his birds excel.

"This is a three on three Pokemon battle between Violet City Gym Leader Falkner and challenger Ash! There will be no time limit. Trainers, choose your Pokemon," the referee said.

"Ash, this time I'll defeat you!" the Gym Leader bragged. "Pidgeotto, I choose you!" A beautiful bird came out of the Poke Ball.

"I didn't knew you had a Pidgeotto!" Ash said. Falkner told that the Pidgeotto was a son of his Pidgeot, who wouldn't battle today: he got some much-needed rest.

Ash had burning eyes: he was determined to win. Then, he told Pikachu to enter the field. "You can do it, Ash!" Misty said. "We'll cheer for you for the entire battle!"

"Togetic!" Togetic said. The Happiness Pokemon was looking and was happy to see Pikachu battle. She'd definitely cheer for him.

"Begin!" the referee said.

"Pikachu, use your Thunder to end this battle quickly!" Ash said. Pikachu jumped in the air. Thunderbolts came at Pidgeotto.

"Pidgeotto, evade and use Double-Edge!" Falkner commanded. Pidgeotto flew up, evaded the Thunder and hit Pikachu with a hard tackle through the sky. Pikachu didn't expect that. He was badly hurt, but wasn't defeated yet.

"Pikachu, can you still go on?" Ash asked? Pikachu nodded his head, implying "yes". "Pikachu, Iron Tail!" his Trainer commanded.

"Pidgeotto, Steel Wing!" Falkner commanded. Pidgeotto flew at Pikachu, who tried to hit the bird with his Iron Tail. Then, Ash did something surprising. "Pikachu, jump on Pidgeotto's back and do your Thunderbolt!" he commanded. Pikachu jumped on Pidgeotto's back. The bird had some trouble flying and became slower with Pikachu on his back, because of Pikachu's slight weight gain, and the Electric Mouse hit Pidgeotto with his Thunderbolt.

Pidgeotto collapsed. He was defeated. "Pidgeotto is unable to battle. Pikachu is the winner!" the referee announced.

"Pidgeotto, you did a good job. Have some rest," Falkner said. "Ash, well done, unique strategy!" Then, he grabbed a Poke Ball. "Go, Noctowl!" A big, brown owl Pokemon flew through the sky.

"Noctowl, use your Hyper Beam!" the Gym Leader commanded. A devastating yellow beam came out of Noctowl's mouth, which made Pikachu fell on the ground. Togetic looked worried and ran to Pikachu. She was worried about the Electric Pokemon and started crying.

"Pikachu, you did a great job! Have some rest!" Ash put Pikachu next to Togetic and Misty.

Then, Psyduck came out of his Poke Ball. He looked at Togetic in a teasing manner. "Psy!" the yellow duck Pokemon said. Togetic started crying even louder and moved closer to her trainer. Misty decided that was enough, and she hit Psyduck on his back. She purposely did not hit him on his head: that would trigger strong psychic powers. Then, Psyduck was returned to his Poke Ball.

"I choose you, Pidgeot!" Ash said. This was the official return of Pidgeot! After releasing him six years ago, he got reunited with Pidgeot when leaving the New Bark Town Pokemon Center. This was his first battle since he got reunited with his Trainer.

"Pidgeot, use your Quick Attack!" Ash commanded. The bird Pokemon hit Noctowl.

"Noctowl, use your Psybeam!" Falkner said. A colourful beam came from Noctowl, and hit Pidgeot, who was a little dizzy. "Pidgeot, are you all right?" Ash asked. Pidgeot was able to continue the battle and had burning ambition to prove his trainer that he was still a strong Pokemon. The bird looked at Noctowl, and saw that the owl was not far away from him.

"Pidgeot, this is your chance! Wing Attack!" his trainer commanded. Pidgeot did what his trainer told him to do and flew at Noctowl at very high speed.

Then, Falkner commanded his Noctowl to use Hypnosis. Pidgeot was flying at Noctowl. Then, the owl looked at Pidgeot, who became hypnotized. "Noctowl, this is your chance, use your Hyper Beam!" Pidgeot wasn't able to evade the strong beam, and was hit by the strong, energetic attack. Then, he fell down on the ground and collapsed. "Pidgeot, no!" Ash said.

"Pidgeot is no longer able to battle. Falkner and Noctowl are the winners!" the referee announced. Misty and Togetic looked worried: Ash had only one Pokemon to continue. Then, Ash took a Poke Ball from his belt. He looked determined. Determined to win this battle. He sent out his Bayleef.

"Ash, no! Not Bayleef! She's a Grass type and Grass types are weak against Flying types! You'll still have to beat two Pokemon…" Misty said in a sad voice.

"No need to worry! Bayleef is in great shape! She defeated Melody's Ninetales and Gary's Scizor, despite the type disadvantage!" Ash replied.

"Ash, no! Falkner is a Gym Leader and probably more skilled than Melody. And that way too easy win against Gary was just a fluke!" his girlfriend answered. "But oh well, if you want to lose, go ahead."

Bayleef was more determined to win than ever. Bayleef always had more willpower than Ash's other Pokemon, because of having a crush on her trainer. "Bayleef, you can do it!" Ash said. "Use your Razor Leaf!" Noctowl was able to evade the leaves. "Bayleef, Vine Whip, now!" Ash commanded. Then, Noctowl got hit and fell down on the ground.

"No, Noctowl!" Falkner cried. "Noctowl is no longer..." said the referee. Then, Noctowl tried to get up, and succeeded. Noctowl was not defeated yet! "Noctowl, well done! Now use your Wing Attack!" Bayleef was hit harshly, because of her weakness against Flying Pokemon.

Bayleef was determined to not give up. She stood up and looked very angry at the owl Pokemon. "Bayleef, use your Sweet Scent!" The aroma of that attack made Noctowl mellow and weak. "This is your chance! Bayleef, Headbutt!" Bayleef ran at Noctowl, and gave the owl a hard hit. Distracted by the aroma, the owl was unable to evade the attack and got defeated by it. The referee declared Bayleef to be the winner.

"Well done Noctowl, you did a great job," Falkner said. "Ash, that was great. Six years ago, that Bayleef was a Chikorita and got easily defeated by this Noctowl, who was a Hoothoot back then. Noctowl and I have gotten much stronger, but you and Bayleef also got much better! Your Bayleef defeating my Noctowl is something I didn't expect at all. But you still have one Pokemon to beat. You aren't gonna win this battle!" Then, Falkner sent out his Fearow.

"Bayleef, let's beat that bird and win this battle! Use your Headbutt!" Ash said. Bayleef did what her trainer told her to and hit Fearow.

Falkner commanded his Fearow to do Swift. Star-shaped rays hit Bayleef, who stood up again.

"Bayleef, use your Body Slam!" said Ash to his Bayleef.

"Fearow, evade, fly behind Bayleef and use your Drill Peck!" Falkner commanded. The big bird hit Bayleef, who was badly hurt. "Bayleef! No! Can you still go on?" her trainer asked. Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Togetic looked worried.


	6. Chapter 6

Bayleef lay on the ground. She was hit by Fearow's strong Drill Peck and the referee was looking at her. Could she still go on?

The referee announced "Bayleef is defeated, the win goes to Falkner and Fearow!" Misty felt very sorry for her boyfriend. Pikachu and Togetic looked worried.

"Ash, you put up a good fight, but you still lost. Now, go to the Pokemon Center to get your Bayleef cured," Falkner said.

Then, they all got shocked: Bayleef stood up! Flames were burning in her eyes.

"Bayleef, no! It's okay to lose. We'll challenge Falkner again later," Ash said to his Grass Pokemon. But Bayleef didn't want that and had an angry look in her eyes. She was determined to win, and didn't want to give up.

"Well, Bayleef, if you really want to go on, do it. But don't think I am pushing you to win now," her trainer said.

"Ash, are you sure you want this? It would be very irresponsible and unfair to Bayleef if she would get hurt badly because of you allowing her to continue battling," Falkner said. "He is right, Ash. You'd better quit now, before Bayleef really gets injured badly! I already told you you shouldn't have used Bayleef in this battle, but you didn't listen," Misty agreed.

"I can't hold Bayleef back if she really wants to continue," Ash replied. "Bayleef, let's go for it! You can do it, I believe in you!"

"That's very immature and irresponsible of you, Ash! But if you really want this, I'll teach you a lesson. Then you'll learn to never allow your Pokemon to go on like this again if you are in a situation like now," Falkner replied.

"It looks like we aren't done yet, Bayleef isn't defeated yet. Continue battling again!" the referee said.

"Let's do it, Bayleef!" Ash said.

"Ash, your Bayleef has a lot of willpower, but willpower isn't a gurantee to win! Fearow, use Hyper Beam!"

"Bayleef, evade and use Razor Leaf!" Ash commanded. The Grass Pokemon jumped by using Vine Whip, and hurled sharp leaves at Fearow. The big bird was hit harshly.

"Fearow, use Fly!" the Violet City Gym Leader said to his Flying Pokemon. Fearow flew up high, and flew at Bayleef at very high speed. Bayleef wasn't as fast as Fearow, and it looked like the battle was over for Bayleef.

"We got him now!" Ash said. "Huh?" Falkner thought. "Bayleef, jump using Vine Whip and then use Body Slam on Fearow!" Ash commanded. Fearow flew at Bayleef, who was still standing on the ground. Then, just in time, Bayleef jumped and Fearow hit the ground. Bayleef threw herself at Fearow and gave the bird a strong Body Slam. Fearow lay on the floor, with a lot of pain.

"Fearow, can you still go on?" Falkner asked? Fearow flew up, with some trouble. The bird wasn't defeated yet, but was very close to that. "Let's finish this battle once and for all!" the Gym Leader said to Ash.

Fearow was badly hurt, and Bayleef was very tired. The Grass Pokemon was already badly damaged and the Vine Whip-Body Slam combination was exhausting. The battle would be a struggle of attrition: every small hit could defeat Bayleef and Fearow now.

Then, the sun started shining very brightly.

"Bayleef, this is our chance! Use your Solarbeam!" Because of the sun shining, Bayleef didn't have to charge up. A beam of strong light came out of Bayleef's mouth, and Fearow was hit. Fearow fell down on the ground, and this time, the bird didn't stand up.

"Fearow is unable to battle! Bayleef is the winner!" the referee announced. Ash, Pikachu, Togetic and Misty were all very proud of Bayleef and ran at her to give her a hug. "Bayleef, you were awesome! Thank you so much! Your willpower is amazing!"

Ash complimented his Pokemon. "Bay Bay!" the Grass Pokemon said in a happy voice. Then, she collapsed. "Oh no, Bayleef! We'll get you to the Pokemon Center soon!" Ash returned his Bayleef to his Poke Ball.

"Ash, you did an awesome job. When Fearow almost defeated your Bayleef by using Drill Peck, I didn't expect her to get up anymore. I am amazed by her willpower! You didn't deserve to win, but because of Bayleef working so hard, you won! You don't deserve this Zephyr Badge, but Bayleef certainly does." Falkner said, with his voice changing from amazed to cocky.

"Thank you, Falkner! I agree, you deserved to win as a better trainer. Bayleef did this thanks to her willpower and persistence," Ash replied. "Bye, Falkner!" he and Misty said simultaneously. "Bye, Ash!" Falkner said.

When walking to the Pokemon Center, Misty said "Sorry for saying it was stupid to use Bayleef. She really proved me wrong this time. I've seen a lot of impressive things in battles, but this is a miracle!" Misty said to Ash. "Falkner is a very skilled Gym Leader, and a Grass Pokemon winning on willpower against two very strong Flying Pokemon is really amazing."

"Thank you, Misty!" Ash replied.

"But Falkner was right: you didn't deserve to win. You were lucky that your stupid idea to use a Grass Pokemon seemed to work, because of Bayleef having extraordinary willpower," Misty said.

"I guess you're right," Ash admitted. "Let's get Bayleef to the Pokemon Center, for the treatment and rest she deserves."

In the Pokemon Center, Ash said to Nurse Joy "Nurse Joy, my Bayleef was in a very intense battle against Falkner. We won, but she is very tired. Could you give her a medical check, and can we and Bayleef rest here tonight?"

"Of course!" Nurse Joy replied. "That's what Pokemon Centers are for!" Ash handed over the Poke Ball of Bayleef. "Here she is, nurse."

Ash and Misty ordered a pizza and ate it as their dinner at the Pokemon Center. Pikachu and Togetic also got dinner: a portion of Pokemon food. As always, Pikachu got ketchup on his food. After having food, Pikachu and Togetic gave each other a big hug.

"They are so cute! What an awesome couple, just like us!" Misty said.

"I agree, Misty!" Ash responded. "Pikachu, you like Togetic, don't you?" Pikachu started blushing and looked at his trainer with an angry look in his eyes. Ash and Misty laughed.

Then, two people entered the Pokemon Center. They looked at Ash and Misty. "Hey, twerp! It has been six years, but we're gonna give stealing your Pikachu another shot!"

"Oh no, it's Team Rocket again..." Misty said. The Team Rocket trio that stalked Ash six years ago consisted of Jessie, James and Meowth. The cat Pokemon was able to talk, despite being a Pokemon. Standing in the door opening of the Pokemon Center, they started their classic motto.

"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie started the Team Rocket anthem.

"And make it double!" James continued the motto. Both said a sentence in turns.

"To protect the world for devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James"

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!" said Meowth, ending the motto.

"Ash, I'll beat them!" Misty said to her boyfriend. "Go, Corsola!" Misty said. But Corsola didn't come out of the Poke Ball, a yellow duck came out. It was Psyduck! Psyduck often came out of his Poke Ball when Misty wanted to use another Pokemon, and also at other random moments.

"Psyduck, I wanted to use Corsola now!" Misty said angrily. "But now you are out of your Poke Ball, you'll battle. Psyduck, Psychic!"

Then, Psyduck started to run around and screaming "Psy-y-y-y-y-y-y-y! Psy-y-y-y-y-y-y-y!" without attacking. Misty did a facepalm. "That stupid duck will never listen..."

"That duck is easy to beat!" James said. "Go, Chimecho! Wrap him around his head!" The Psychic Pokemon did that. Then, Psyduck got a terrible headache and made Team Rocket blast off in the sky. "Team Rocket's blasing off again!" Jessie, James and Meowth said simultaneously. Then, Jessie's Wobbuffet came out of his Poke Ball and said his name. "Wobbuffet!" Jessie punched him in the face and called him back in his Poke Ball, when blasting off through the sky.

"Great job, Misty!" Nurse Joy and Ash said. Then, Nurse Joy told Ash good news about Bayleef. "Ash, she's doing fine. She isn't badly hurt. If she rests here tonight, she'll be fine tomorrow morning."

Ash thanked Nurse Joy. Ash and Misty were tired and went to bed early. They took their clothes off, gave each other a hug, put their pyjamas on, wished each other good night and went to sleep in their two-person bed.

The next morning, Ash and Misty had breakfast. Nurse Joy gave Bayleef back to Ash, who recalled her in her Poke Ball after giving the Grass Pokemon a hug. "Thank you for caring for her, Nurse Joy!"

"No problem, Ash! I'm just doing my job," the nurse replied.

"Bye, Nurse Joy! Thank you for everything!" Ash and Misty said simultaneously. They went on their way to Azelea Town.

A pink Pokemon with green leaves on his head was staring at them, especially at Misty. He flew behind them, to follow them. They weren't suspecting anything.

When they were just out the neighbourhood in which the Pokemon Center was, Togetic poked Misty on her back. "What's up, Togetic?" Misty asked.

"Toge, Togetic!" Togetic answered, pointing at the Pokemon stalking them. It was a Hoppip, a Grass and Flying type Pokemon. Togetic looked at Hoppip in an angry way, as she didn't like stalkers.

Then, the cottonweed Pokemon flew at Togetic, said "Hoppip!" in a cute way, and tickled Togetic with his leaves. Misty was amazed. "Ash, Hoppip is so cute!"

"Misty, he's stalking us!" Ash replied.

"But who of us is he stalking?" Misty said.

"Let's find out." Ash replied. "Misty, could you go five steps forward to see if Hoppip will follow you."

Misty did what Ash asked her to, and Hoppip floated behind her. The Pokemon was stalking her. "Misty, I think Hoppip has a crush on you, like Bayleef has on me!" her boyfriend replied.

"How cute!" Misty said. Ash and Misty walked away, and Hoppip kept following them. "Misty, I think he wants to stay with us! You should catch him, he likes you," Ash said. Misty agreed and asked Hoppip if he wanted to stay with them. The Grass Pokemon nodded "yes", and Misty and Ash went back to the Violet City Pokemon Center, to have Misty send a Pokemon to Professor Oak, to make room for Hoppip. She sent Staryu to Professor Oak, because the professor wanted to do research on Staryu. Then, she put Hoppip in a new Poke Ball.

"Yes!" Misty screamed from happiness. "I caught a Hoppip!"

"To Togetic!" Togetic cheered. She and Misty acted the same as Ash when he caught a Pokemon.

And so, they left Violet City and went on the road to Azelea Town.


	7. Chapter 7

One day, when walking on the road to Azalea Town, Ash and Misty were walking through the grasslands. Ash looked at Misty. Her marvelous, long hair swept up and down in the light wind. She smiled at him.

"Misty, you are so beautiful! Both on the inside and on the outside!" he said to his girlfriend.

"Thank you, Ash! You are looking good and cute as well!" she answered. They smiled at each other again, and kissed.

"It's warm here and I'm tired," Ash complained. "Shall we have lunch here and relax here for some hours?"

"Of course, Ash!" Misty agreed. She took off her clothes and put on her bikini, in order to sunbathe. Ash also undressed and put on his swimming trunks. Then, Ash made sandwiches and gave Pikachu and Togetic some food.

Then, Misty gave Togetic a hug. "Togetic, I love you! And do you like the journey so far?" Togetic nodded "yes". "Do you like being with Pikachu?" Misty asked, in a teasing voice. Togetic nodded "yes" again, and felt a little bit embarrassed, causing the Pokemon to get a red blush on her head.

"That's true, Misty. And it's also the other way around! Pikachu loves being with Togetic again as well," Ash replied.

Pikachu blushed and shook his head, in an attempt to deny what Ash just said. Ash and Misty laughed about that, which made Pikachu feel annoyed and embarrassed. But when he and Togetic both got some extra Pokemon food, Pikachu quickly forget his annoyance.

After Togetic got a hug from Misty, Pikachu walked at her and gave her a hug as well. Ash and Misty started hugging as well. Then, they heard an annoying, high-pitched voice.

"Hey, Misty! You look ugly in that bikini! You should wear a red swimsuit, red is the colour of fire. That blue bikini represents Water Pokemon, and these suck! You shouldn't wear that blue one in public!" It was Egan, a boy Ash and Misty met on the road between Mahogany Town and Blackthorn City six years ago. Back then, he acted mean and annoying towards Misty, bashing Water Pokemon.

"Shut up, Egan!" Misty said angrily. "I have the right to wear whatever I want!"

"I can't take this! You have no right to insult her like that. Misty is beautiful and that bikini looks cute on her, and fits her well!" Ash defended his girlfriend. "Let's battle, I'll show you your Fire Pokemon can go down with water!"

Egan accepted the challenge. "Go Ash!" Misty replied. "Togetic and I will be cheering for you!"

"Ash, I'm gonna kick your ass!" Egan said. "Go, Cyndaquil!"

"Squirtle, I choose you!" Ash replied. "Use your Hydro Pump!" Squirtle wirthdrew in his shield, started spinning and water flew at Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, evade and use Tackle!" The Fire Pokemon jumped to evade and hit Squirtle with his snout. Squirtle was lying on the ground on his back and couldn't get up.

"Cyndaquil, Flamethrower! And keep spitting fire until Squirtle faints!" Egan commanded. The fire kept hitting Squirtle, who eventually collapsed. "Haha, you lost!" Egan said in a teasing voice. "Fire Pokemon are better than Water Pokemon!"

"That's bullcrap!" Misty asked angrily. "Just because you win one fluke battle, you aren't immediately a better trainer and it doesn't change anything about Fire and Water Pokemon at all!"

"What are you going to do about it?" Egan asked. "Do you want to lose as well? Cyndaquil was caught yesterday, I'll use my strongest Pokemon, Flareon."

"Fine, I am going to prove you Fire types are not as superior to all other types as you think!" Misty answered. "And I don't even need Water Pokemon for that!" She sent out Hoppip.

"A Hoppip? OMG, you're so stupid!" Egan said.

"Hoppip was acquired yesterday, but even an untrained Grass Pokemon can defeat you! And Hoppip will get even stronger in the future!" Misty said. "Hoppip, let's start with your Leech Seed!" Hoppip shot a seed at Flareon, who got weakened. The longer the battle would progress, the better it would be for Misty!

"Flareon, Flamethrower, go on until you defeated Hoppip!" However, the Grass Pokemon avoided the attack with ease. "Misty, your Hoppip is so defensive because you are afraid to lose severely now!"

"No, Egan! I'm just making use of Leech Seed to the fullest," Misty replied. "And we can also handle this faster if you want to. Hoppip, Solarbeam!" The sun was shining, so there was no recharging time needed. A strong beam hit Flareon, who collapsed.

Misty stuck her tongue out to Egan. "I humiliated you! And now, Ash and me want our privacy! Just f*ck off!"

Egan, who felt humiliated, quickly called back Flareon into his Poke Ball and ran away, with tears in his eyes about losing to a Grass type.

"Misty! That was amazing!" Ash said. "I've never seen such a strong Hoppip before!"

"Thank you, Ash!" Misty answered. She also asked how Ash got Squirtle back.

"He and the other Squirtle Squad members got fire, when they were unable to save a child in a burning house," Ash replied.

"What happened to the child?" Misty asked. "Is she dead now?"

"I'm happy she's still alive. Team Wartortle and some firemen saved her," Ash answered. "And on to Squirtle: he was sent to Professor Oak, who took care of him. And when I got home just before we got reunited, I decided to take Squirtle with me." he explained. "That's why I was sad he lost to that Cyndaquil, it might make him afraid of fire now, while he's a Water Pokemon. He certainly looked afraid of Cyndaquil in that battle against Egan..."

"I understand. He must win against a Fire Type and quickly, no matter what. He needs to know he can still deal with fire. He's a Water Pokemon!" Misty said.

"I agree!" Ash said. "I'll use him more often in battles against Fire Pokemon. That might help him to get over this," Misty agreed.

They lied next to each other in the grass and put an arm around each other. Pikachu and Togetic went playing, and weren't listening to Ash and Misty talking.

"Ash, I've been thinking. Maybe we teased Pikachu and Togetic a little bit too much," Misty said to Ash.

"What are you talking about?" he asked,

"When we were younger, we were so annoyed when people said we are a couple," Misty answered. "Sure, we the feelings were there, but we weren't ready for a confession yet. Pikachu and Togetic are in the same phase now, and we should respect that."

"I understand, you are right!" Ash replied. "I feel so bad now, Pikachu must be really angry with me. We'll apologize to them, and not bother them with this again," Misty agreed with that.

And so, they apologized to Pikachu and Togetic about the teasing comments about them being in love. They told their Pokemon they wouldn't make teasy comments anymore, and let them discover themselves whether they are in love with each other or not. Pikachu and Togetic looked happy and relieved, and hugged their trainers.

They continued the road to Azelea Town. They didn't put on their clothes again, and kept wearing their swimwear, because of the very warm weather. Then, while walking they saw Gary and Jasmine sunbathing on the grass next to them. "Hey, Ashyboy!" Gary asked. "I see you are still with that ugly Misty!" Then, Misty couldn't take this a second time, after what happened earlier at the beach. She raised her fist, and hit Gary on his head.

"That is unacceptable, Misty! Why did you do that?" Gary snapped.

"You don't have the right to insult me like that!" she replied.

"You don't have the right to hit my boyfriend!" Jasmine said angrily.

"And you don't have the right to snap at my girlfriend!" Ash replied. A big fight was unavoidable, and they tried beating up each other. Ash and Misty won, thanks to Misty's 'iron' right fist.

Gary and Jasmine stood up and said simultaneously "You two can be good at violence, but we beat you in a Pokemon tag battle! We'll all use one Pokemon."

"Sure we can!" Misty replied. "Let's do it, Ash!"

Ash and Misty sent out their Pokemon. Misty used her Corsola, while Ash sent out his Bulbasaur. Jasmine sent out her Steelix, while Gary used his Scizor.

"Steelix, Iron Tail on Bulbasaur!" Jasmine commanded. "Scizor, use Metal Claw! And you'll hit Bulbasaur as well!" Gary said. The strong Steel Pokemon came at Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, evade!" Ash said. But Bulbasaur was too late and got hit badly. The Grass Pokemon was close to being defeated.

"Scizor, finish it with Swift!" Gary commanded. Star-shaped rays hit Bulbasaur, who was defeated.

"Oh no, Bulbasaur!" Ash screamed. "Come back, you deserve some rest." He told Misty she could do it.

Misty said "Corsola, Bubblebeam on Scizor!" It was a critical hit, Scizor was badly hurt.

"Steelix, stop Corsola with your Wrap!" Jasmine commanded. The metal snake wrapped Corsola, who couldn't escape.

"Scizor, jump and use Metal Claw from the sky!" Gary commanded.

"We've got him!" Misty said. Gary looked scared. "Corsola, use your Bubblebeam against Scizor!" Scizor got hit by the bubbles and got defeated.

"Good luck, Jasmine!" Gary said. "Scizor, come back and have some rest."

"Steelix, Dig!" Jasmine commanded. Steelix went underground and came back where Corsola stood. The Coral Pokemon was hit and defeated. "No, Corsola!" Misty said. She called her back to her Poke Ball and congratulated Gary and Jasmine with their win.

"Now this is the revenge you get after you hit me!" Gary replied to Misty. "You are mean, annoying and violent, and you are a terrible Pokemon trainer, you're even worse than your immature boyfriend!"

Misty started losing her temper again, but didn't hit Gary this time. "Gary, I challenge you to another battle, we'll both use one Pokemon. And this time I'll win!"

"If you want to be defeated again, be my guest," Gary answered. "Challenge accepted!"

"Togetic, I choose you!" Misty said.

"That's cool, then I can choose Electivire for a type advantage," Gary answered.

Gary opened the battle by commanding his Electivire to use Thunder Wave.

"Togetic, Safeguard!" responded Misty. The Thunder Wave didn't work.

"Now use Water Pulse, now he's still having electric sparks around him from using Thunder Wave!" Togetic hit Electrivire from a long distance, and caused an explosion. Gary looked worried.

"Togetic, add a Fire Blast to the smoke!" After the smoke disappeared, Electrivire was lying on the ground. The Fire Blast was the final hit he took before collapsing. Misty won!

"Have some rest, Electivire. You did your best," Gary said calmly. "Misty, that was just a fluke!" he said, this time in an angrier voice.

"No, Gary! Togetic and I took advantage of the move you used," Misty said, in a teasy tone. Togetic was laughing and pointed at Gary, who looked humiliated. Gary and Jasmine ran to their limousine and drove away quickly.

"That was awesome, Misty!" Ash said.

"Thank you!" Misty replied. "Thank you for learning me to act like this! Instead of a well-thought strategy, I improvised and won. I learned that from you!"

Ash thanked Misty for the compliment and blushed. Then, he kissed Misty on the check. Misty kissed him on the cheek as well. Then, they were relaxing on the grass again and had a relaxing day.

Late in the evening, Ash and Misty put their two-person sleeping bag on the ground, took off their swimwear, which they wore all day long, because of the warm weather, and started hugging. They fell asleep later that night. Pikachu and Togetic were already asleep.

The next morning, Ash and Misty woke up and wished each other, Pikachu and Togetic good morning. "Misty, I've had an awesome night! I had two wonderful dreams in one night!" Ash said to his girlfriend.

"That's nice! What were they about?" Misty asked.

"About Gary's face when you beat him yesterday, and a romantic one shortly after that, with us in a very comfortable two-person bed only rich people can afford," Ash answered.

"I had such a dream as well. And it was awesome! Beating Gary was awesome, and yesterday was just a fun day for me. We relaxed, I won two battles and we had an awesome night as well," Misty said. "Since the day I left my sisters, my life turned from horrible to perfect! I got rid of the Gym Leader job, and most importantly, I have you again. I love you!"

"My life also became much better when I got reunited with you. I love you too, Misty!" Ash said. They hugged. Then, they had breakfast. Pikachu got ketchup on his food, as always.

Then, they went on, continuing their journey to Azalea Town.


	8. Chapter 8

On a nice summer morning, Ash and Misty were walking through the grasslands. They just had lunch and were holding hands while walking. Togetic and Pikachu were doing the same.

"Hey, look, Misty! There's the Charicific Valley!" Ash mentioned. The Charicific Valley was a place where Charizard trained and got stronger. Six years ago, Ash left his Charizard there. However, he could always ask Liza, the guardian of the Valley, to bring Charizard to him when he needed his Fire Pokemon for important battles.

"Hey, nice! Let's step by and see Liza and Charizard again!" Misty answered. They walked to the gate, and Liza opened. "Hey guys! It's great to see you again!"

"It's nice to see you too, Liza! How is Charizard doing?" Ash asked.

"He's doing fine, he's next to Charla. They got married yesterday!" Liza answered.

"That's so cute!" Misty said. "Congratulations! I already expected this, they obviously are a couple."

Ash ran at his Charizard. Then, Charizard used his Flamethrower on Ash, like usual. "That hurts!" he said, and he fell on the ground.

Then, Misty greeted Charizard and Charla as well. Charizard also used his Flamethrower on Misty. They laughed.

After having lunch, they left the valley. "Bye, Liza!" they said simultaneously. Liza waved at them. "Ash, when you need Charizard, you can always call me!"

Ash and Misty went on, continuing their journey. Then, a hot air balloon shaped like a Meowth flew above them. "Oh f*ck, it's Team Rocket again!" Ash said. "Totodile, Pidgeot and Squirtle, I choose you!"

The Water Pokemon and the bird came out of their Poke Balls. "Pidgeot, wreck their balloon by using Wing Attack on it!" The Bird Pokemon did, and the balloon collapsed on the ground. Jessie, James and Meowth looked angry. "I refuse to leave without a battle!" Jessie said. "Yanmega and Wobbufet, I choose you!"

"Squirtle, Totodile, use your Water Gun!" Ash commanded. The Water let Team Rocket soar in the sky. "Team Rocket's blasting off again!" said the evil trio simultaneously. "Meowth!" This time, Wobbuffet did not come out of his Poke Ball.

"Well done, Ash!" Misty complimented. "You could be a serious concurrent in the Whirl Cup!"

"I won't. I don't want to beat you in it. I am going to coach you, I am going to do everything I can to help you win it." Ash replied. He called Totodile, Squirtle and Pidgeot back in their Poke Balls.

"Aww, Ash, thank you so much!" Misty answered. She kissed Ash on his cheek and hugged him. They went on, an travelled through the grasslands of Johto. There, they saw a green-haired guy they've seen before.

"Hello! Nice to see you again!" Ash and Misty said simultaneously.

"Nice to see you two again as well!" the boy replied. It was AJ, a trainer they met in Kanto. "Ash, how would you like to have a quick double battle?"

"Great, challenge accepted!" he replied. "Bulbasaur and Bayleef, I choose you two!" The Grass Pokemon looked happy and were ready to win a battle.

"Sandshrew and Rattata, I choose you!" AJ announced.

"Bulbasaur, use your Razor Leaf!" Ash commanded. "Bayleef, jump and also use your Razor Leaf!"

"Sandshrew and Rattata, evade and both use Tackle on Bayleef!" AJ countered.

"Bayleef, jump using Vine Whip and use Sweet Scent!" Ash said. Bayleef didn't get hit and used her Sweet Scent. Sandshrew and Rattata were gentle and not in the mood to battle anymore.

"Bulbasaur, use your Tackle attack on Rattata!" The Grass Pokemon ran at the purple Normal Pokemon, who was defeated. "No, Rattata!" AJ screamed. "Sandshrew, use Rollout on Bayleef!"

"Bayleef, fire your SolarBeam when Sandshrew is really close to you!" Ash commanded. Bayleef didn't have to charge up, thanks to the sunny weather, and the powerful beam of energy defeated the Ground Pokemon.

"Sandshrew, you deserve some rest. Come back, buddy," AJ said in a gentle voice. "Ash, you did a great job. Your Pokemon worked together as a team, and you have better tactical capabilities than six years ago. I still have a lot to learn. I'll go to the Pokemon Center in Violet City now. Thank you for a great battle. Bye!"

"Bye, AJ!" Ash said. "Thank you!" Ash and Misty both waved at the green-haired Pokemon trainer.

Some hours later, after lunch, they progressed on their journey. They got closer to the Union Cave, which leads to Azalea Town.

Then, they saw a boy with brown hair and a Pikachu. "Hello, Ash! Hello, Misty!" he said.

"Hi, Ritchie! It's good to see you again!" Ash said. "What are you doing here?" Misty asked. Ritchie was a friend of Ash, they met him during the Kanto League, six years ago.

"I am going to register and take part in the PokeRinger contest today. I have a feeling that my Taillow will win," Ash and Misty asked if they could come with him and look. The PokeRinger contest was a competition for Flying Pokemon, in which they had to grab a ring attached to a balloon, and deliver it to a target faster than the opponent. Ritchie's Taillow, nicknamed Rose, was sitting on his shoulder like a parrot on a pirate's shoulder.

When Ash, Misty and Ritchie came close to the Pokemon Center just before the entrance of the Union Cave, they saw a big stadium, where the PokeRinger contest would be held. Then, Hoppip randomly popped out of Misty's Poke Ball. He was looking at a billboard that advertised the PokeRinger contest and flew at Misty. Then, he pulled her to the billboard and stared at her with a cute face. "Do you want to take part in that contest, Hoppip?" Misty asked. Hoppip nodded, implying "Yes!"

"OK, Hoppip, nice! I'll register you," Misty said. She and Ritchie walked to the registration desk and registered. "When will the tourney start?" Misty asked.

"In five minutes," the woman behind the registration desk replied. Misty looked shocked. "Ash, I have never done this before and there is no time to practice anymore!" she said to her boyfriend.

"No problem, Misty! I won this contest twice and I'll coach you!" he answered. "Thank you so much, Ash!" she replied. She kissed him on his cheek. Ritchie was blushing, and looked at the kissing couple.

"So, you two are in a relationship now?" Ritchie asked.

"Yes, we are!" Misty answered. "Six years ago, the feelings were already there, but didn't admit it. We were so immature back then!" Ash added to that.

"That's great. You two are so cute together! I wish I had a girlfriend..." Ritchie answered...

"You'll get one sooner or later, you'll just have to wait for the right moment!" Ash supported his friend. "And when the moment is there, tell the girl you love about your attraction and grab your chance!" Misty added to that. "Brock always said that."

"Thank you!" Ritchie replied. "Where is Brock now?"

"He's the assistant of Nurse Joy of Pewter City now, he works at the Pokemon Center there," Ash answered.

"And how is his love life? Has he finally found love?" Ritchie asked.

"Yes, he's in a relationship with Nurse Joy," Ash replied.

"Splendid!" Ritchie answered. He, Ash and Misty walked to the stadium, where the PokeRinger contest was going to start.

The amount of contestants was disappointing: only Misty and Ritchie registered! "It seems like we only have two contestants!" the announcer said. Then, Misty went to the referee and asked "And now? Will this contest go on?"

"We'll just go on, you will compete against Ritchie," was the answer. "We usually have a small amount of contestants, this is a desolate place and we never have a lot of participants."

Ritchie's Taillow and Misty's Hoppip flew up high, and the referee started the match. Hoppip flew at the balloon with the ring and grabbed it with his hands.

"Hoppip, fly at the target!" Misty commanded. Hoppip did what his trainer told him. Hoppip flew slower than usual, because of the heavy ring.

"Rose, Whirlwind!" Ritchie commanded. Hoppip had trouble flying and was going to crash down on the ground. "No, Hoppip!" Misty said.

Then, her coach helped her. "Misty, let Hoppip use Silver Wind on the ground for a softer landing!" Ash suggested. Misty commanded Hoppip to listen to Ash, and the Grass Pokemon did that. Hoppip started collapsing slower, and even had time to fly up high and not fall on the ground.

"Well done, Hoppip!" Misty said. "Now, put the ring on the target and win the competition!" Hoppip flew at the target at high speed. "Rose, also fly there at high speed and hit Hoppip with a Tackle attack!" Ritchie commanded. Taillow flew at Hoppip at high speed. Would the bird hit Hoppip before the Grass Pokemon could put the ring on the target?


	9. Chapter 9

Hoppip flew at the target. He had to win this battle. And he did. Just before Taillow's Tackle hit the Grass Pokemon, he put the ring on the target. Then, he got hit. Misty caught him in her arms.

"Hoppip and Misty are the winners!" the announcer said.

"Well done, Hoppip! That was awesome!" Misty said. Ash, Pikachu and Togetic were also cheering. "Misty, you are the winner. Here is a big supply of Pokemon food!" the tournament director said. Hoppip immediately ate a piece of food. Togetic also flew at the food, and gave some food to Pikachu.

Outside of the stadium, Ash and Misty waved goodbye to Ritchie. They entered the Union Cave.

It was humid and dark there. They walked through the cave. Then, they saw a girl wearing a pink dress fishing. "Hey, Marina! How are the fish biting?" Misty asked.

"Hello, Misty! I haven't caught anything yet. Shall we have a battle?" Marina asked.

"Nice!" Misty responded. "Corsola, I choose you!" Marina sent out her Oshawott. The battle would be a battle on the water.

"Corsola, dive underwater!" Misty commanded. Marina commanded Oshawott to dive underwater as well, and to use Tackle. Oshawott headed for Corsola.

"Corsola, use your Spike Cannon!" Misty commanded White, pointed spikes hit Oshawott, who was shot high in the sky. The Unova-native Pokemon was severely damaged, but not defeated yet.

"Corsola, jump above the water and go on the land again!" Misty commanded. "Now, use Bubblebeam!" Oshawott evaded and used Water Gun on Corsola. "Corsola, Mirror Coat!" Misty commanded. The Water Gun was deflected back at Oshawott, who was lying on the ground.

"Corsola, finish it with Take Down!" Corsola tackled Oshawott, finishing the battle. Corsola won!

"Corsola, we did it! Well done!" Corsola was jumping in a happy way. She looked at Misty, who hugged her.

Then, Hoppip popped out of his Poke Ball. He looked angry. He didn't like it when Misty gave attention to others than him. "Hoppip, do you also want a hug?" Misty asked. Hoppip nodded in a happy voice, and also got a hug from his cute trainer.

"Oshawott, you did a good job. Come back!" Marina said. "Misty, congratulations. You did a great job, and your Corsola is a great Pokemon."

"Thank you!" Misty replied.

"Also, that Hoppip is cute!" Marina mentioned.

"I agree. He really loves me, and he's stronger than he looks. I don't have him for a long time, but we are already very good friends," Misty responded. Hoppip nodded, which implied that he agreed with his trainer.

"Bye, Ash and Misty!" Marina said.

"Bye, Marina! Good luck with the fishing, I hope you'll catch something today."

Ash and Misty continued. Hours later, they walked out of the cave. It was late in the evening, so they had a quick dinner and went to sleep in their sleeping bags. However, when they wanted to sleep, a wild Caterpie came close to Misty's sleeping bag. Misty screamed "ASH! HELP! IT'S A BUG! DO SOMETHING!" The Caterpie was attracted by the smell of the Pokemon food Ash fed to his Pikachu.

Ash laughed about it. "Misty, it's just a Caterpie, come on! Don't be scared!"

Misty looked angry. "Ash, you gave Pikachu food, you attracted that stupid bug! You also have to make that worm leave!"

However, Caterpie already hurried and ran away, being afraid of Misty.

"You scared him away! Well done, Misty!" Ash said.

"Thank you, Ash!" Misty replied. "Now, we can finally sleep!"

They wished each other good night, and went to sleep.

The next morning, they woke up and saw that Pikachu and Togetic were still sleeping. They lied next to each other, like they were hugging.

"They are so cute!" Misty said.

"I agree. They make a perfect couple!" Ash replied.

"But don't say that when they are awake! That would annoy them," she answered.

"They are such a great couple, just like us!" he agreed.

Then, Pikachu and Togetic woke up and kissed each other. Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Togetic ate breakfast and continued their journey. Then, they saw a brown-haired girl wearing a very short white skirt and a green tank top painting. "Unfezant, just keep posing for a little while. This painting is almost finished!"

"Pika pi!" Pikachu said. "Togetic!" Togetic screamed happily. "Hey, Bianca, nice to see you again!" Ash and Misty said.

"Hey, you guys! It's nice to see you again!" Bianca replied. Ash and Misty met Bianca in Alto Mare, six years ago. "Are you two a couple?"

"Of course we are!" Misty answered. "When we met you, we already loved each other. Back then, we were too immature to admit it."

"Great!" Bianca answered. "Unfezant, the painting is finished!" The bird flew up and sat on Bianca's shoulder, like a parrot sitting on a pirate's shoulder.

"That's a nice Unfezant!" Ash mentioned.

"Thank you, Ash! Would you like to battle?" Bianca proposed.

"Challenge accepted!" Ash said. "Pikachu, go for it!"

"Unfezant, you'll battle, of course!" Bianca replied. "Unfezant, Wing Attack!" The bird flew up and hit Pikachu with his wings. "Pikachu, Iron Tail!" That attack also hit.

"Unfezant, Hypnosis!" Bianca commanded. Pikachu got hypnotized and wasn't able to listen to Ash anymore. "Pikachu, no!"

"Unfezant, let's finish it! Use Giga Impact!" Unfezant flew at Pikachu at high speed, and hit Pikachu. Pikachu was close to defeat. However, he got out of his hypnosis. "Pikachu, Thunder!" Ash commanded. Big bursts of lightning electrocuted Unfezant, who collapsed down on the ground. Pikachu won! Ash was ready for a hug, but instead, Pikachu ran at Togetic, and did a victory dance.

"Uh... Well done, Pikachu..." Ash said to Pikachu, sad about his Pokemon celebrating victory with Togetic and not with him.

"Ash, well done! Pikachu did a great job!" Bianca congratulated Ash.

Then, Ash and Misty said goodbye to their old friend and travelled further to Azalea Town.

Late in the evening, they arrived in Azalea Town, where they would have dinner and sleep in the Pokemon Center.

After having dinner, Ash asked Misty to watch the sunset. Misty agreed and came along with Ash. However, when they arrived at the hill where they would watch the sunset, they saw Gary and Jasmine!

"Hey, Ashyboy!" Gary said to Ash. "Hey, Mistygirl!" Jasmine imitated Gary, in order to refer to Misty in a teasy way. Misty and Ash tried to ignore their rivals and just sat down. However, Gary didn't want a calm evening.

"Hey, Ashyboy, shall we have a tag battle again?" Gary proposed. "We'll stomp you!" Jasmine warned.

"Challenge accepted!" Ash and Misty said simultaneously. Ash sent out Totodile, Misty sent out Marill.

"Go, Umbreon!" Gary said. "Steelix, I choose you!" Jasmine added.

"Totodile!" "Dewgong!" their trainers commanded. "Use Ice Beam on Umbreon!" Umbreon was hit by two strong, icy beams.

"Totodile, Hydro Pump!" Totodile opened his mouth, and released a crapload of water at high power. Umbreon's ice was broken, but the Dark Pokemon was defeated. Gary looked sad and called his Pokemon back.

"Dewgong, use Whirlpool!" Steelix was trapped in a whirlpool. "Now, Dewgong, use Surf!" A big floodwave crashed down on Steelix, who was weak against Water. The iron snake got defeated.

"No, Steelix!" Jasmine screamed. She retreated her Pokemon. Jasmine and Gary ran to their limousine and drove away quickly.

"Well Ash, it wasn't the romantic evening I imagined, but this was fun!" Misty said to her boyfriend. "And your Totodile battled very well."

"Thank you, Misty! Your Dewgong was awesome too!"

They went to the Pokemon Center. They went to their restroom, undressed and lied in a two-person bed.

"Good night, Ash!" Misty said.

"Good night, Misty!" Ash replied.

Then, they fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, Ash and Misty woke up in the Pokemon Center. They had breakfast and were talking.

"Misty, you are still as awesome as before, but I do notice some change with six years ago," Ash said.

"What do you mean?" Misty asked.

"Your temper is less short. It's still there, but you have more self-control now," he answered.

"Thank you, Ash!" she replied.

"But how did that happen?" he asked.

"While being tortured by my sisters for six years, I got more self-control," she responded. "Also, Ash, you are more romantic than ever before. What happened?"

"Well, while missing you, I thought about how I should have treated you better than I did. I also talked to Brock about stuff like this often," he replied.

"Then Brock is more romantic than we thought!" Misty answered. She was laughing.

Later that day, after lunch, they went to the Azalea Town Gym. "Ash, go ahead, I'll wait outside with Togetic!" Misty said.

"Why, Misty? Why don't you come in and watch the battle, like always?" Ash asked.

"Because there are Bug Pokemon inside!" Misty screamed.

"Misty, nothing will happen, I promise I'll protect you when a Bug Pokemon comes close to you!" Ash replied.

"OK, Ash, but I'll make you stick to that promise!" she answered. She and Ash walked in.

"I don't see Bug Pokemon here now," Ash said.

"You are right," Misty replied.

Then, a Scyther and a Caterpie stood next to Misty. She jumped in Ash's arms for protection. "ASH, HELP ME! I SEE BUGS!"

Then, Bugsy, the Gym Leader appeared. "Scyther, Caterpie, please get away from that girl. She's afraid of Bug Pokemon."

"Thank you, Bugsy!" Ash said. The three walked to the battefield. "Hello, nice to see you again!"

"It's nice to see you again as well." Bugsy replied, "And I like seeing you again as well, Misty!"

"I like seeing you again, but I don't like being in this Gym again!" Misty responded. Bugsy looked annoyed, but he understood. The Bug Pokemon trainer felt offended, because Misty didn't like his Pokemon.

"I am here to battle you again!" Ash said.

"That's what I expected!" Bugsy said. They arrived at the battlefield.

"This is a two on two Pokemon match between Azalea Gym Leader Bugsy and challenger Ash Ketchum! Both trainers will use one Pokemon," the referee announced. "Trainers, choose your Pokemon!"

"Ash, Pikachu, Togetic and I will cheer for you!" Misty announced.

"Thank you, Misty!" Ash replied.

"I choose you, Ariados!" Bugsy announced.

"I can get the advantage now!" Ash said. "Go, Pidgeot!"

"Good choice, Ash!" Misty said to that.

"Thank you!" Ash replied. "Pidgeot, let's start off with a Whirlwind!" Gusts of wind blew at the Spider Pokemon.

"Ariados, Spider Web!" Bugsy commanded. Ariados's web got sticked to Pidgeot's wings, preventing the bird to fly.

"Pidgeot, come on!" Misty screamed, supported by a sad "Toge" from Togetic.

"Now, Ariados, we can finish this early! Use Sludge Bomb!" the Azalea Town Gym Leader said. Purple sludge got hurled at Pidgeot, who was unable to evade. The bird was sticky and also severely weakened. "Finish him off with Solarbeam!" Because Pidgeot was unable to do anything, Ariados was able to charge without any danger.

"Ariados, now!" Bugsy commanded. The beam was fired at the bird, who got hurt badly. "Pidgeot is unable to battle. Ariados is the winner!" the referee stated.

"Pidgeot, it's OK. I know you did your best." Ash tried to comfort his Pokemon. "Come back and have some rest."

"What are you going to do now?" Misty asked. She, Togetic and Pikachu looked worried and also saw that Ash looked stressed.

"Against Falkner, Bayleef was at a big disadvantage and won me the battle. I'll hope for that again." Ash replied. "Bayleef, I choose you!"

"Bad choice, Ash!" Bugsy said.

"He's right, Ash!" Misty agreed with the Gym Leader. "You were lucky once, that won't happen in every battle."

"Bayleef, I believe in you!" Ash said to his Grass Pokemon. "Bayleef, start off with your Sweet Scent!" A sweet aroma got around Ariados, who mellowed down and was unable to move. "Bayleef, Headbutt and finish him off!" he commanded. The Grass Pokemon hit Ariados severely, defeating the Bug Pokemon.

"Ariados is defeated. Bayleef is the winner!" the referee announced. Misty, Pikachu and Togetic were very happy.

"Well done, Ash! But you haven't won anything yet. Ledian, I choose you!" Bugsy grabbed a Poke Ball from his belt, releasing a ladybug-like Pokemon from it.

"We're gonna win this, Bayleef!" Ash said.

"Ash, watch out. Don't underestimate him!" Misty advised.

"No need to worry, Misty!" he replied. "Bayleef, Vine Whip!" But Ledian evaded the vines. "Ledian, use your Supersonic!" Ledian let annoying soundwaves hit Bayleef, who became confused!

"Bayleef, use your Razor Leaf!" Ash commanded. However, Bayleef was confused and unintentionally, she almost hit her trainer, who barely evaded.

"Bayleef, no!" Ash screamed. But Bayleef didn't get out of her confusion.

"Ledian, Bayleef is vulnerable now. It's time to finish this now! Use your Double-Edge!" Ledian flew at Bayleef and tackled the Grass Pokemon at high speed. She collapsed.

"Bayleef!" Ash screamed. Misty, Pikachu and Togetic looked worried.

"Bayleef is unable to battle. Ledian is the winner. Victory goes to Bugsy!" the referee announced.

"Bugsy, congratulations. You deserved this win," Ash said in a sad voice. "Your Ledian is great."

"Thank you, Ash." Bugsy said. "But you can always challenge me again."

Ash suddenly ran out of the Gym. Misty, Pikachu and Togetic came after him. "Sorry, Bugsy! Bye, we'll see you soon!" Misty said. She ran after Ash, who ran to the Pokemon Center and gave his Pidgeot and Bayleef to Nurse Joy, in order to cure them.

"Don't worry, Ash! I'll cure them. They aren't too injured, you can take them back tomorrow morning," the nurse said.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy!" Ash replied.

"Ash, there you are!" Misty said, while seeing a tear on Ash's cheek.

"Well, the loss hurts me. But what hurts me most is that Pidgeot and Bayleef were badly hurt. I brought them to Nurse Joy, she'll take care of them. They'll be restored tomorrow morning," Ash answered.

"That's good news!" Misty responded. She looked delighted.

The rest of the afternoon, Ash and Misty talked and had romantic interactions, like hugs and kisses. After dinnertime, they kept talking. They were in a cuddly mood.

They went to bed early, after brushing their teeth and putting on their pajamas. They slept in a two-person bed. Togetic and Pikachu had an own bed, and were close to each other. Ash and Misty also got closer to each other.

"Misty, tomorrow, Pidgeot, Bayleef and I will train. Before battling Bugsy again, we need to train," Ash said.

"That's a good and mature idea," Misty replied.

"Thank you!" Ash answered. "Good night, Misty!"

"Not yet, Ash!" Misty responded. First, she gave him a big hug and looked at Togetic and Pikachu. The Pokemon were already asleep. "They are so cute together!" Misty said.

"I agree," Ash said. "Misty, I love you!"

"I love you too, Ash!" Misty said. She gave him a big hug.

A while after that, Ash and Misty went asleep as well.

The next morning, they went up early. "Good morning, Misty!" Ash said.

"Good morning, Ash!" Misty replied.

Togetic and Pikachu were already awake, and stopped hugging when Ash came at them to give them breakfast.

After breakfast, they went outside, to the grasslands close to the Azalea Town Gym. "Misty, this is a great spot to train!" Ash said happily.

"I agree, Ash!" Misty replied.

"What are you going to do now?" he asked.

"Criticizing you," Misty said in a teasing way. "Don't you think you should call Professor Oak and just use Quilava for a type advantage?"

"No! I think Bayleef can do it! I want to beat Bugsy using Pidgeot and Bayleef!" he replied.

When he took a Poke Ball from his belt, a big, red car appeared. Two people, a blonde-haired woman named Cassidy and a blue-haired man named Butch, came out of the car. They both wore black shirts with a big capital letter "R" on it, indicating they are members of Team Rocket.

"Let's take him!" Butch yelled. The two Team Rocket members grabbed Ash, tied him up and muzzled him with ducktape on his mouth. They threw him in the back of their car, hopped in the car and drove away.

"Ash, no!" Misty screamed.

She ran to Bugsy, who was outside of the Gym. "Bugsy, they took Ash!" Misty cried.

"That doesn't surprise me at all." Bugsy responded. "They've abducted more and more Pokemon trainers lately, in order to keep them prisoned until they give their Pokemon to Team Rocket. This town is a paradise for criminals, the police is on strike."

"What are we going to do now?" Misty asked.

"I won't come with you, it's too dangerous. You'll need to save Ash yourself," Bugsy answered.

"It's hard, but if that's what it takes to save Ash, I'll have to!" she responded. "Where's their hideout?" she replied.

"In the newspaper yesterday, it was revealed that it's just past the entrance of Ilex Forest, not too far away from here. Good luck!" he responded.

"Thank you, Bugsy," Misty said. She ran to the Ilex Forest. "Ash, I'm going to save you!" she thought. She ran through the forest an saw a man with a Team Rocket-shirt. He seemed to be a guardian of some sort. "That big white building must be the hideout," Misty thought.

"Hoppip, I choose you!" she said. "Use Sleep Powder on that man!" Misty ran inside, with Hoppip and Togetic flying after her. "Thank you, Hoppip," Misty said. Hoppip gave her a hug. She laughed, and they went onwards. Then, they heard a female voice. "Hey, it's you again!"

"You won't get any farther in here!" a male voice added to that. Misty looked around, and two people jumped in front of her!


	11. Chapter 11

Misty was standing there, in the dark, black building. There were some shimmering lights, but nothing more than that. Many people not knowing better would be scared, but the two people who jumped in front of Misty were Jessie and James. As always, they started their motto.

"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie started the famous Team Rocket anthem.

"And make it double!" James continued the motto. Both said a sentence in turns.

"To protect the world for devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James"

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

Then, a cat Pokemon appeared and stood next to Jessie and James. "Meowth, that's right!" he said, finishing the motto.

"Hey, why aren't you scared, twerp?" Jessie asked.

"You aren't scary, you three suck!" Misty said. "What are you three doing here?"

"We are here because the boss called us, to make sure intruders like you couldn't get any further than here!" James replied. "Go, Mr. Mime!" he said. Jessie sent out her Seviper.

"Togetic and Hoppip, are you two ready for battle?" Misty asked. The Flying Pokemon both nodded. "Hoppip, use Silver Wind on Mr. Mime!" The beautiful wind hit Mr. Mime, beating the Psychic Pokemon in just one hit. Hoppip hugged his trainer. "No, Mr. Mime!" James screamed, in a scared voice. He returned his Pokemon to his Poke Ball.

"Togetic, use Psychic on Seviper!" Misty commanded. The attack lifted Seviper up, and then slammed the snake on the ground. The Poison Pokemon was defeated.

"Now, Hoppip, Sleep Powder on Team Rocket!" Hoppip scattered powder that made the enemies fall asleep. He, Togetic and Misty progressed further during the hideout. It was dark and cold inside. Misty was shivering. "When we are in Goldenrod City, I'll definitely go clothe shopping buy a long-sleeve shirt and long jeans!" Misty thought.

Then, she saw Cassidy and Butch standing before a door. On the door was written: "GIOVANNI'S OFFICE".

"Well well, if it isn't the twerp with the Togetic!" Cassidy said.

"Where is my boyfriend?" Misty asked. "Tell me, now! Is he here?"

"Yes, he's behind this door. But you won't get past us!" Butch added. "You'll have to beat me first!" He grinned and took a Poke Ball. Out of that Poke Ball, a big bird Pokemon appeared. "Staraptor, I choose you!"

"Marill, I choose you!" Misty said. "Use your Icy Wind!" A chilling breeze made Staraptor feel cold, but the bird wasn't beaten yet.

"Staraptor, Wing Attack!" Butch commanded. The bird flew at Marill at high speed.

"Marill, jump on his back!" Misty commanded. The Water Pokemon jumped and landed on the birds back. "Now, use Body Slam!" Marill jumped, put in all his strength and made Staraptor crash down on the floor. "Finish it with a Water Gun!" Water hit Staraptor, who was done for.

"No, Staraptor!" Butch screamed. Misty and Marill were happy, and the Water Pokemon was sent back to his Poke Ball.

"Now, let me in here!" Misty commanded.

"No!" Cassidy replied. That was the moment when Misty couldn't take it anymore. Her eyes became fiery, she raised her fist and hit Cassidy in her face. Then, she kicked Butch in his belly. The Team Rocket members fell down, and Misty opened the door. She entered a big room, with a video phone, a big chair and a cage. In the big chair, a Persian lay next to his trainer, a man with brown hair and a red, classy suit. It was Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket. Both the Pokemon and the Team Rocket boss were sleeping.

Misty looked at the cage. "Misty! Great that you came! I'm so happy to see you here!" she heard a recognizable voice saying. It was Ash!

"Ash, it's so great to see you again!" Misty said. "What did they do to you?"

"They abducted me to steal my Pokemon! Giovanni commanded me to tell him Professor Oak's secret number only his dearest friends, including me, know! He wanted to steal the Pokemon at Oak's lab!" he answered.

"Did you tell him?" she asked.

"Of course not!" he answered.

"Did he torture you?" she asked.

"No, but he said I'll never leave this cage," he replied. " The Pokemon I have with me can't break the cage gratings, only Bayleef might be able to with her Razor Leaf. But she's not fully fit for attacking, she doesn't have the strength she normally has after the battle against Bugsy... She needs more rest."

"No need to worry, Ash! I'll free you from this cage!" Misty answered. "Ash, take a few steps to the right!" he did what his girlfriend told him to. "Togetic, use Flamethrower on the cage, and don't go right with the attack, so you won't hit Ash." Togetic made the cage bars weaker and less stable. "Now, use Headbutt to break the bars!" Togetic flew at the bars, charging them with her head. The bars broke.

"Thank you so much, Misty!" Ash said.

"No problem, Ash!" Misty replied. "I love you! I'd do anything for you!"

"Thank you so much, Misty!" he replied. "How can I thank you?"

"Defeat Bugsy in your rematch, that's all I want!" she responded.

"I'm gonna do that as soon as we get out of here!" he answered in a loud voice. So loud, that it woke Giovanni up! He pressed on a red button on a remote control, which locked up the door, preventing Ash and Misty from escaping.

"Hey, you two twerps! You won't get away with this all!" Giovanni screamed. "Persian, Rhydon, go!"

"Togetic, I choose you!" Misty commanded.

"Pikachu, you'll battle too!" Ash added to that.

"Togetic, use Water Pulse on Rhydon!" she commanded. Her Pokemon let a pulse of water hit Rhydon, who collapsed. Giovanni was swearing.

"Pikachu!" Ash said. "Togetic!" Misty added. "Both use Shockwave on Persian!" they commanded. The strong bolt of lightning made Persian fall down.

"Hoppip, Sleep Powder on Giovanni!" Misty commanded. The Grass Pokemon, who still was out of his Poke Ball, did what his Trainer told him to. Then, Ash pressed the remote control and opened the door. Misty thanked Hoppip, retreated her Grass Pokemon and she, Ash, Pikachu and Togetic ran out of the hideout.

Then, Misty immediately ran to the police station, and told Officer Jenny about Team Rocket's hideout. She also said her Hoppip made all guards sleep. Luckily, one officer refused to strike with her colleagues.

Two hours later, all Team Rocket members were caught. "Except for three," Officer Jenny explained. "A woman with red hair, a man with purple hair and a talking Meowth escaped us."

"That's okay, those three aren't dangerous. They are annoying, but not more than that," Ash replied.

"That's good! And the others will rot in prison here until their case will be up in court!" the officer responded.

Ash and Misty walked out of the police station, and went to Bugsy to arrange a rematch for Ash. Bugsy agreed on battling tomorrow afternoon. It was already late in the evening, so Ash and Misty went to the Pokemon Center for dinner. After dinner, Ash took Misty outside. They went to a hill and sat there. "Misty, look. The sunset here is so romantic! Maybe a romantic moment is a nice way to thank you for saving me?"

"Thank you so much, Ash!" Misty answered.

"And this time, we won't get interrupted by stalkers like Melody and Gary! Not many people know this hill. Bugsy whispered it in my ear just before our battle, but Bugsy is single now. Now, he allows us to be here as long as we won't tell others," Ash responded.

They lied down on the grass. They put their arms around each other's shoulders and hugged.

Then, the sun went down. They looked and moved their heads closer to each other, put their lips close to each other's lips, and kissed.

Togetic and Pikachu were looking. They saw their trainers having a romantic interaction. Togetic looked at Pikachu, and blushed. They went back to the Pokemon Center. They went to their two-person bed. Togetic and Pikachu lied in a separate bed, and fell asleep quickly. Then, Ash and Misty prepared for sleeping and went in the two-person bed.

They started kissing and gave each other some hugs.

A while after that, Misty said "Good night, Ash! And tomorrow, you'll beat Bugsy!"

"Good night, Misty! And thank you!" Ash replied.

Then, they went to sleep, after an exhausting day.


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, Ash and Misty woke up. After having breakfast, they talked about Ash's upcoming Gym battle against Bugsy. Some hours later, they left the Pokemon Center and went to a restaurant for lunch, which was Misty's idea.

"Ash, we've been waiting for almost 20 minutes now! The waiter is going to customers who came here after us!" Misty said, in a sad voice. Her stomach growled.

"Yes, Misty!" Ash replied. His stomach also growled. "Let's just go to the Gym now. I can also battle when I'm hungry."

"No, Ash! I am also hungry and I want to eat first!" she replied. "I want fries and coke now!"

"But I don't!" he answered. They looked angrily at each other.

"Toge Togetic!" Togetic said, in an attempt to calm down their trainers.

Then, the waiter finally arrived. "What would you two little lovebirds like to order?" he asked.

"Ash, now the waiter is finally here, are you fine with eating here before the battle?" Misty asked.

"Yes, of course! I gotta admit I'm hungry too," Ash answered.

"I'd like to order two portions of French fries, and two cans of coke," Misty replied.

While Ash and Misty were waiting, Pikachu pulled Ash's shirt. "Pikachu, do you want French fries as well?"

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu said. He nodded.

"Okay Pikachu, I'll share some with you." Ash responded. Pikachu looked happy.

"Togetic, I'll share some with you as well!" Misty said to her Pokemon. Togetic was happy. Then, Pikachu and Togetic got to a separate table for two. Misty enjoyed their cuteness.

"Here you are!" the waiter said, arriving with the food and drinks. Ash and Misty gave half of their fries to their Pokemon.

"This tastes good!" Ash said. Misty agreed.

When they finished their food, the waiter came again, with the bill: 10 Poke Dollar.

"Misty, you wanted to go to this place, you wanted to eat so badly, so it would be fair if you would pay," Ash said.

"Well, you're the man here, show some Arceus damn romance!" Misty replied.

"It wasn't my idea to go here!" Ash replied. He looked annoyed.

"What's wrong with you today? We barely argued since we got together, and now we argued twice during one morning," Misty asked.

"Sorry Misty, I'm just so excited for my Gym battle against Bugsy! I even woke up at 5:00 AM and trained with Bayleef and Pidgeot, while you woke up at 8:00 AM," Ash replied.

"I understand, Ash. But who will pay now?" Misty asked.

"I'll pay, but we'll go to the Gym immediately after that. And next time you'll pay!" Ash proposed.

"That's fine with me. And paying in turns is also fair," Misty replied, while Ash handed over ten Poke Dollars to the waiter.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the Gym. Ash walked in and shouted "Bugsy, I'm here for another battle. I'm ready!"

"So Ash, you're ready to lose again? Fine!" Bugsy replied. The referee did his usual introduction. Then, Bugsy took a Poke Ball from his belt and released a spider-like Pokemon from his Poke Ball. It was Ariados. Ash sent out his Pidgeot.

"Ash, this is your chance to show you learned from the last battle! You know his tricks now!" Misty shouted. "Good luck. Togetic, Hoppip and I will support you!"

"Thank you, Misty!" Ash replied. "Pidgeot, let's start with a Whirlwind!" The Bird Pokemon flapped his wings, hurling wind at Ariados, who was blown against the wall, but wasn't defeated yet.

"Ariados, use your Spider Web!" Bugsy commanded. Sticky goo was hurled at Pidgeot.

"Pidgeot, evade and use Wing Attack!" Ash commanded. Pidgeot did what his Trainer told him to and evaded the attack that defeated him in the first battle against Bugsy. Then, Pidgeot flew at Ariados. Bugsy told the Spider Pokemon to evade, but Pidgeot was faster and hit Ariados. "That was a critical hit!" Ash concluded happily.

"Ariados, no!" Bugsy was shocked. Ariados tried to stand up, but collapsed.

"Ariados is no longer able to battle! Pidgeot is the winner!" the referee said.

"Well done, Pidgeot!" Ash complimented his Pokemon. Pidgeot looked very confident.

"Ariados, you did your best. Have some rest," Bugsy said. Then, he sent out his Ledian.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Ledian, use your Ice Punch!" Bugsy commanded. Ledian hit Pidgeot with its icy fist. Pidgeot collapsed.

"Ice Punch? I never expected that from a Ledian!" Ash said, looking surprised. "Pidgeot, you did the best you could and did a great job. Have some rest!"

Then, he took a Poke Ball and sent out his Bayleef. "Bayleef, I choose you!"

"Watch out for Ledian's Supersonic, Ash!" Misty whispered in Ash's ear.

"Don't worry, Misty! I taught Bayleef a nice new attack for that," Ash responded.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Ledian, Supersonic!" Bugsy shouted. Annoying sound waves were shot at Bayleef.

"Bayleef, use Safeguard!" Ash commanded. Bugsy looked surprised. "What the f*ck?" Bayleef shrouded herself in white light, blocking the sound waves.

"Well, then we'll have to directly attack him!" Bugsy concluded. "Ledian, Ice Punch!" Ledian flew at Bayleef, hitting the Grass Pokemon. But Bayleef stood up.

"Bayleef, use your Razor Leaf!" Ash commanded. But Ledian, who was very fast, evaded the leaves with ease.

"Well done, Ledian! Use Ice Punch again!" Bugsy said. This time, Bayleef was seriously hurt. "Bay Bay!" she murmured, in a sad and soft voice. But she stood up.

"Bayleef, great! Now try Razor Leaf once again!" However, Ledian evaded again. "This has no point... How will we ever win this?" Ash thought.

"Ledian, let's finish this! Use your Ice Punch one more time!" The ladybug flew at Bayleef again at high speed. Then, Ash got an idea. "Bayleef, use Vine Whip on Ledian's front arms!" Bayleef did that, just in time to prevent getting hit.

"Now smack down Ledian on the ground and jump! Then use Body Slam!" Ash commanded with a lot of enthusiasm. Ledian was unable to move, being caught in the Vine Whip. Then, Bayleef fell on Ledian from two metre high in the air. The Body Slam attack defeated Ledian!

"Ledian, no!" Bugsy screamed.

"Ledian is defeated, Bayleef is the winner! Victory goes to Ash and Bayleef!" the referee said.

"Ash, you did it!" Misty said happily. She gave Ash a kiss on the cheek. He blushed.

"Ash, you did a great job. You clearly learned from your loss. I like how you used the same Pokemon. You really believe in them, and knew what attacks of my Pokemon to watch out for. You deserve this Hive Badge!" Bugsy said.

"Thank you, Bugsy!" Ash replied. Then, he shouted "I did it! I've got... A HIVE BADGE!" Pikachu joined him. "Pi-Pikachu!" "Bay Bay!" Bayleef added to that.

"Bye, Bugsy!" Ash and Misty said. Ash retreated Bayleef in her Poke Ball, Misty retreated Hoppip in his Poke Ball, and they left the Gym. It was early in the afternoon, so they could travel further a bit. Ash went to the Pokemon Center first, but Pidgeot and Bayleef didn't have to stay there to heal after the battle with Bugsy. They were already fine.

Then, Ash and Misty left Azalea Town and went in the Ilex Forest, which leads to Goldenrod City. When they just entered the forest and passed the place where the Team Rocket Hideout once was, they heard a voice saying "HEY, NICE TO SEE YOU TWO AGAIN AFTER SIX YEARS!" It was Samurai, a guy who battled Ash when Ash just became a Pokemon trainer. "Uh... Fine, let's battle!" Ash said. "I choose you, Totodile!"

"I choose you, Butterfree!" Samurai replied. "Butterfree, use your Psybeam!" A colourful beam was aimed at Totodile.

"Totodile, evade and use Bite!" Ash commanded. The crocodile evaded and bit Butterfree in its right wing.

"Now use Hydro Pump!" A hard blast of water was shot at Butterfree, who was blown against a tree. The butterfly was defeated.

"Well done, Totodile, we won!" Ash said. Samurai congratulated him. "I guess Butterfree and I still got a lot to learn. Well done, Ashyboy!"

"Well, you are never finished learning." Misty said.

"Bye Ash, bye Misty!" Samurai said.

"Bye, Samurai!" Ash and Misty said. Then, they walked onwards.

Then, Misty looked scared. "EEEH! IT'S A BUG! IT'S A BUG!" A Yanma was sitting on her backpack. The Yanma was shocked by Misty's behaviour, causing it to fly away at high speed.

"Well, Misty, you know how to scare the bugs away!" Ash said, giggling.

"That wasn't funny, Ash! You know I see Bug Pokemon as scary!" Misty replied.

"Sorry..." Ash responded, and he kissed his girlfriend on the cheek.

"No problem, Ash. It's alright. That Yanma just shocked me so much..."

After having dinner, they travelled onwards. At a given moment, they saw Jessie and James standing in front of them!

"Togetic, use your Metronome!" Misty commanded. Togetic waggled her fingers. The Metronome ended up being a Thunderbolt.

"Team Rocket is blasting off again!" Jessie and James said simultaneously. "Meowth!" added Meowth.

Then, Ash and Misty put down their sleeping bags: one two-person sleeping bag for themselves and one for Pikachu and Togetic, who liked to sleep together.

Ash and Misty first made sure no one was around. Then, they took off their clothes and put on their pyjamas. They lay in their sleeping bags and looked at Togetic and Pikachu, who were already asleep. "They are so cute!" Misty said. She saw her Togetic and Ash's Pikachu lying next to each other in one sleeping bag. They had their arms around each other.

"Misty, I don't want to annoy you, but look at what's on our sleeping bag..." Ash said.

"EEK! IT'S A CATERPIE!" Misty screamed. The Caterpie got shocked and ran away quickly.

"Good night, Ash." Misty said.

"Good night, Misty." Ash replied.

Then, our heroes fell asleep, just like their Pokemon.


	13. Chapter 13

While walking through the Ilex Forest, Misty was terrified, because last night, Bug Pokemon came close to her a few times. She continuously looked around in the environment surrounded by trees, to check whether there were Bug Pokemon close to her or not, so she could run away as soon as possible if the scary Pokemon would come close to her.

"Misty, please, just get it... Bug Pokemon aren't dangerous," Ash said to her.

"Ash, you know I'm scared of them... I'm just not comfortable with being this forest, I want to leave this forest as soon as possible!" Misty replied.

"But Misty, it's early in the morning... I'm tired," Ash responded.

"I don't care!" Misty replied. "Let's run, so we're out of here as soon as possible! And then you'll also get to the Goldenrod City Gym sooner!"

"Hey, you're right," her boyfriend and traveling companion replied. "We'll get the hell out here as soon as possible."

While her Trainer started running, Togetic she started flying faster than normally to keep up with Misty. Pikachu quickly ran as well, and was able to keep up with his Trainer too.

"Pikachu, I see you lost some weight, you're close to your old weight again, just like your weight the last time we were in Johto!" Ash said to his Electric Pokemon. "Pika Pika!" he happily replied. He seemed to be slightly faster than some weeks before.

Half an hour later, they got close to the end of the forest. Then, Ash saw a young, blonde-haired boy wearing jeans and a white t-shirt standing in front of them, together with a Ledyba flying around him.

"Hey, that's a great Ledyba you've got there!" Ash shouted at him.

"Thank you, that's nice of you! I just started as a Pokemon Trainer, and Ledyba and me are training," the boy said. "Are you a Trainer too?"

"Yes, I am" Ash responded. "How about a quick battle?" Misty looked afraid after hearing that question, in fear of having to be in the forest longer than necessary.

"Of course!" the boy said. He introduced himself. "Hello, I'm Stan."

"Oh, sorry for not introducing myself. I'm Ash. Now let's get started!" Stan's opponent responded.

"I'll choose Ledyba!" Stan said. The ladybug flew forward, looking very energetic.

Ash grabbed a Poke Ball from his belt. He hurled it up in the air. "Squirtle, I choose you!"

"Ash, stop it! Let's leave this forest now!" Misty said, looking scared.

"Misty, not now," Ash replied. "I wanna battle!"

"It's not always about your Pokemon battling obsession! There are also other things in life than battling!" Misty yelled, knowing Ash wouldn't listen to her.

"Well, Misty, Stan and I just agreed to battle, we'll leave this forest immediately after that," Ash replied. Stan looked surprised and was shocked. "What's her problem?" he asked.

"She's afraid of Bug Pokemon, Stan. That's why she hates being in this forest," Ash answered. "Now let's battle!"

"Ledyba, use your Swift!" Stan commanded. Star-shaped rays flew at Squirtle

"Squirtle, evade and use your Water Gun!" Ash shouted. Squirtle jumped, evading the Swift, and spit water out of his mouth at Ledyba, who got water drops all over its body after the attack.

"Ledyba, use your Thunderpunch, that works well against Water Pokemon!" Stan said. Ledyba tried to let the electricity go to his fist, so the ladybug could hit his opponent. However, a loud, booming sound and some smoke followed. When the smoke was gone, Ledyba was lying on the ground, unable to battle. "Ledyba, no!" Stan screamed.

"Yay! I won, Misty," Ash said happily. And to Squirtle: "You were amazing!" Squirtle jumped in Ash's arms from happiness.

"Ash, you just got lucky," Misty replied. " If that kid would've been more experienced, he would've never let a wet Pokemon use an Electric attack."

"Who cares?" Ash responded, after calling Squirtle back into his Poke Ball. "I'm the winner!"

"Stan, next time your Ledyba is wet, don't use Thunderpunch," Misty said to her boyfriend's opponent. "Water conducts electricity."

"Oh, I didn't know that. Thanks for telling me!" Stan responded.

"Good. Now you should go to a Pokemon centre," Misty said.

"Okay, I will. Bye, Ash and Misty!" Ash and Misty also said goodbye to Stan.

"Okay, now let's get out of here, we're almost at the end of this forest," Misty suggested. Ash agreed, so they and their Pokemon started running through the forest, and ended up on a grassy road with a river next to it.

"This is much better than that forest, I'm more comfortable here," Misty said to Ash.

"I know." Ash replied.

"Ash, we need to talk about something." Misty said.

"Huh, what's up?" Ash asked.

"Why couldn't you just do what we agreed on in the forest and walk out? Why did you ask that kid to battle you?" Misty asked.

"What's wrong with that?" Ash responded.

"Well, Ash, we agreed to leave the forest as fast as possible and to run out of it, then battling in the forest isn't right," she said.

"Sorry Misty, I just felt like battling!" he answered.

"It's not only now, it's just about always. Pokemon battles rule your life! Can't you see there's more than Pokemon battles in life?" she asked.

"Pokemon battles are my life! Why is that wrong?" he asked.

"Because your life revolves around it," she said.

"So what?" Ash asked.

"It's the only thing you spend time on! When we travelled six years ago, I wanted to confess my feelings to you. But you only seemed interested in Pokemon. Sure, you sometimes showed interest in me, but you caring more about Pokemon than about love made me so insecure, and that made me lack the guts to confess. I had six years of insecurity and doubt about whether you'd want a relationship with me or not!" Misty replied, with tears flowing through her face.

"But Misty, now we're together, why would that still matter?" Ash replied.

"Because of missing you for years! I love you!" Misty replied, with tears in her eyes.

"Misty, you should see it from the other side. The fact that we never lost our feelings for each other in those six years means we must really love each other!" Ash replied.

"Well, I guess you're right. And there's nothing we can do about it now anymore anyways," Misty said, wiping her tears away.

"That's true," Ash replied, while he and Misty walked onwards, on their way to Goldenrod City.

"Well, Ash talked himself out of this... He thinks everything's fine and doesn't realize he needs to get rid of that obsession... How can I make him realize there's more than Pokemon battling in life?" Misty thought.

"Misty, look!" Ash said. "It's Team Rocket's balloon!"

"Oh no, it's Team Rocket!" Misty replied. They saw a Meowth-shaped hot air balloon in the sku, with a giant vacuum cleaner attached to the bottom of the basket, in which a Meowth was standing next two to people. One of them, the red-haired woman dressed in a tuxedo shouted "Prepare for trouble!"

Then, the purple-haired man wearing a pink ballet dress said "And make it double!" Team Rocket then continued their anthem, with Jessie and James saying one sentence in turns.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evil of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off with the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

Then, Meowth said "Meowth, that's right!"

"Hey, why are you two dressed like that?" Ash shouted.

"We hoped you wouldn't recognize us!" James responded.

"Well, we'll always recognize that balloon!" Misty replied.

Then, James pressed the button of a remote control. The vacuum cleaner swallowed Ash's Pikachu, who ended up being in a cage attached to the vacuum cleaner. "No, Pikachu!" Ash screamed. James turned off the vacuum cleaner, and the balloon flew away.

"I'll handle this," Misty said. "Togetic, use your Steel Wing on that balloon!" The Happiness Pokemon, who was faster than the balloon, did what her Trainer told her, cutting through the balloon, making it crash down on the ground.

Misty picked up the cage in which Pikachu was held prisoner. "And now break the cage with a Double-Edge!" The cage broke, enabling Pikachu to escape and jump in Ash's arms. "Thank you, Togetic!" Ash said. Pikachu also happily thanked Togetic.

"Togetic, now make them blast off with Solarbeam!" Misty commanded. The sun was shining, so Solarbeam didn't require charging up. A strong beam was shot at the evil enemies, who blasted off and were shot in the sky. Jessie, James and Meowth used their catchphrase simultaneously. "Team Rocket is blasting off again!"

"Well done, Misty!" Ash said.

"Thank you," she answered. She and her boyfriend travelled onwards. They saw grasslands, the sun was shining and a lake was next to the road. Then, they heard a voice. A blue-haired girl wearing a pink dress shouted "Hey, Ash and Misty!"

"Hey, Ash, look! It's Marina!" Misty said to Ash. Then, she started talking to Marina. "Hello Marina, how are you?" she asked.

"Fine, and my Pokemon are also doing well. I also caught a new Pokemon recently. How about a battle?" her rival responded.

"Okay, we'll battle. How about both using one Pokemon?" Misty asked.

"That's fine," Marina said. "Go, Piplup!" she shouted. "Misty, that's my most recently caught Pokemon, Piplup! Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's cute. But I've got even cuter Pokemon, and I'll be using one of those now. Go, Marill!" Misty responded. She smiled.

"Hey, Misty, a friend of mine who I travelled with has a Piplup!" Ash mentioned.

"Yeah, you mentioned that. You mean Dawn?" Misty responded. Ash confirmed that, and then the battle began.

"Piplup, use your Drill Peck!" Marina commanded. The penguin ran at the mouse Pokemon, who evaded Piplup's beak, following her Trainer's command.

"Marill, Water Gun!" Misty shouted. The blue Pokemon spit water from its mouth, hitting Piplup. "And now Iron Tail!" Marill jumped, and tried to hit Piplup with her tail.

"Piplup, evade and then Peck!" Marina commanded. The penguin evaded it's opponent's tail and ran at Marill, who failed to avoid the attack.

"Marill, Grass Knot!" Misty commanded. Ropes of grass out of the ground were wrapped along Piplup's feet, causing the penguin to trip.

"Marill, use your Double-Edge!" Marill ran at Piplup at high speed, charging into the opponent, who just stood up and couldn't avoid the attack. Then, he fell down on the ground and collapsed.

"Oh no!" Marina shouted. She looked worried.

"Well done, Marill! We won!" Misty celebrated the win with her Marill.

"That was a nice battle, Misty! That Grass Knot and Double-Edge strategy is really nice," Ash complimented his girlfriend.

"I agree with Ash," Marina said. "You did well, Misty. And your Marill too! And a Marill using Grass Knot surprised me."

"Thank you," Misty responded. She and Marina called respectively Marill and Piplup back in their Poke Balls.

After having dinner together with Marina, Ash and Misty went onwards. "Marina, we'll be going onwards now, so we can reach the Pokemon Center close to this place before it gets dark, so we can stay the night there. I think we'll arrive in Goldenrod City in a few days," Misty explained.

"Okay, I'll train some more here and then sleep in my sleeping bag and then I'll go back to Azelea Town to get a Lure Ball from Kurt," Marina replied. "Bye, Ash and Misty!"

"Bye, Marina!" Ash and Misty said simultaneously. They continued their way to the Pokemon Center.

"Misty, I'll try your Grass Knot strategy with Bayleef in my next battle, combined with Sweet Scent, making opponents unable to attack and then attacking yourselves is useful" Ash said.

"That's a nice idea," Misty responded.

"Yeah, that's what I was planning to try," Ash responded. They reached the Pokemon Center.

Then, right in front of the Pokemon Center, Ash and Misty saw a red limousine stopping close to them. Gary was sitting in the limousine with his cheerleaders, who were singing a jolly tune. ""Gary, Gary, he's our man. If he can't do it, no one can!"

Then, Ash's rival stepped out of his car. "Hey, Ashyboy!"

"What are you doing here? And where is your girlfriend, Jasmine?" Ash asked. His voice sounded annoyed.

"I was just driving here on my way to the Goldenrod City department store, and then I saw you and Misty, so I decided to stop the car," Gary responded. "And I had a little fight with Jasmine, so I dumped her."

"Why did you stop the car here?" Ash asked.

"Because I wanna battle you again!" Gary responded. "How about a double battle in which we both use two Pokemon?"

"I accept your challenge," Ash said. "Bulbasaur and Bayleef, I choose you two!"

"I'll use two recently acquired Pokemon," Gary said. "Go, Furret and Beedrill!"

"Good luck, Ash! Pikachu, Togetic and I will be rooting for you," Misty said.

"Bulbasaur, use your Grass Knot against Beedrill!" Ash commanded. "And Bayleef, use your Grass Knot against Furret!" Ropes of grass came out of the ground, wrapping around Gary's Pokemon. "Bayleef, use Sweet Scent on both opponents!" By doing that, Bayleef mellowed her opponents down. Furret and Beedrill weren't concentrated on battling anymore.

"Now, Bulbasaur and Bayleef, use Solarbeam on respectively Beedrill and Furret!" Ash commanded. Gary's Pokemon were tied up by Grass Knot, and were unable to do anything against their opponents because of Sweet Scent, so Ash's Pokemon could safely charge up. After charging, they let a strong beam escape their mouth, harshly hitting Gary's Pokemon. He saw they were defeated and called them back in their Poke Ball.

"Ash, congratulations with your win," Gary said. His cheerleaders were crying.

"Thank you, Gary. That's polite of you!" Ash replied.

"Well, it's nothing to be ashamed of, I never used these Pokemon before in a battle, I just recently caught them. If they're stronger, they'd survive a Solarbeam," Gary responded.

"Gary, stop talking yourself out of it. I humiliated you!" Ash said in a teasing way.

Then, Gary quickly hopped in his limousine and drove away. "Bye Ashyboy! Next time I'll beat you, then you'll be the loser!" he shouted.

"What a sore loser," Misty said.

"Yeah," Ash replied. "I beat him and humiliated him in front of his cheerleaders."

"And he's not very faithful, he had just a little fight with his girlfriend and instantly dumped her!" she replied.

"Yeah, and he's arrogant too!" Ash responded. Misty thought "Ash, you too," but decided it would be better to not say that out loud.

"Now let's go to the Pokemon Center," Misty said. She and Ash walked into the Pokemon Center. "Hello Nurse Joy," Ash said.

"Hello, cute couple," she replied.

"Could you please check up my Pokemon?" Ash asked.

"And mine too?" Misty added.

"Of course! You can pick them up in two hours," the nurse replied.

After two hours, the 'cute couple' picked up their Pokemon and went to bed. After undressing, taking a shower and putting their pyjamas on, they went to the two-person bed and started talking.

"Ash, did you think about what I said?" Misty whispered, because Pikachu and Togetic were already asleep.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"What I said about your life revolving around Pokemon too much," she replied.

"No, I didn't," he responded.

"Well, you really should. Do you think you'll be travelling like this for the rest of your life? Have you thought about the future?" she asked.

"No, I haven't thought about it. I don't know yet..." he replied. Then, he fell asleep, making a snoring sound. About an hour later, Misty fell asleep too.


	14. Chapter 14

"We're finally there! Finally!" Ash shouted, with a big smile and a competitive fire burning in his heart and eyes.

"Goldenrod City," Misty replied. "It took a while, but we're here."

"The first thing we should do is going to the Gym, so I can beat Whitney and get a Plain Badge! The Gym is very close to the entrance of the city!" he responded. He started running, and Misty ran along, knowing she had no choice.

"I knew he'd do that..." Misty thought. "Oh well, then let's save the clothe shopping for later, even though my current outfit is getting quite chilly now." The weather wasn't as warm as it used to be, autumn had started, but Misty was still wearing a revealing summer outfit: she forget to take warmer clothes with her when she left Cerulean City to travel again.

"Hurry Misty, we're almost there!" Ash shouted, with Pikachu being on his shoulder. Misty ran after him, and Togetic flew after him. "Ash, slow down, please..."

"No, Misty, we're already there," he replied, standing before a big building with a glass door. He opened the door and went in, together with Misty, Pikachu and Togetic. "Welcome, Ash! It's been a long time since I've seen you," a pink-haired woman wearing a white, long-sleeved dress said. "Are you here to battle?"

"Of course," Ash responded. "I want a Plain Badge, and it's also a nice chance for revenge. Last time, you gave me the Badge while I didn't win under fair conditions, because you only used one Pokemon while I used three. Now I want a fair win."

"That's nice, but you won't get revenge. I'll beat you," the Goldenrod City Gym Leader replied.

"No, you won't," Ash said. "Let's start this instant. No more talking, let's battle!"

"That's the way I like it!" Whitney responded. She hurled a Poke Ball and shouted "Go, Clefairy!" A pink Pokemon appeared on the battlefield.

"Go, Bulbasaur!" Ash replied, sending out Bulbasaur. "Where's the referee?" he asked.

"He quit his job two years ago, but I don't think we need a referee to battle," Whitney replied. "Let's get this battle started!"

"Ash, good luck! Togetic and I will be rooting for you," Misty said.

"Bulbasaur, let's start with your Vine Whip!" Ash commanded. Two long vines on the left and right of the bulb and Bulbasaurs back shot out and wrapped around Clefairy.

"Clefairy, use your Metronome," Whitney decided. Clefairy moved her fingers around, and suddenly popped out of Bulbasaurs vines, and stood on the other side of the battlefield.

"It's Teleport," Misty said.

"Now Clefairy's over here!" Whitney said. "Now, use Metronome again." This time, Clefairy started splashing around. "Oh no, she can't get up!" Whitney screamed.

"It's Splash, Bulbasaur," Ash said. "Now, this is our chance! Sludge Bomb." Purple sludge was shot out of Bulbasaurs bulb, harshly hitting the splashing Clefairy.

"Yay, we won!" Ash shouted, padding Bulbasaur.

"Nice lucky win, Ash," Misty said. "Toge toge tic!" Togetic added to that.

"Ash, you got lucky this time. But now you'll have to fight for it, lucky time is over!" Whitney shouted. "Go, Castform!" A cute, white Pokemon came out of the Poke Ball.

"Bulbasaur, let's win this! Use your Solarbeam!" Ash shouted. The Grass Pokemon started charging.

"Castform, use your Flamethrower," Whitney commanded. Flames came out of Castform's mouth, hitting Bulbasaur, who was unable to evade because of charging for a Solarbeam.

"Bulbasaur, no!" Ash screamed. His heart was beating fast, because of the tension. "Can you go on?" Bulbasaur stood up, but looked exhausted.

"Bulbasaur, let's beat him with Razor Leaf," Ash said. Leaves were hurled at the Weather Pokemon, who barely got hit.

"Castform, now use your Icy Wind," Whitney commanded. A chilly breeze could be felt in the Gym, and Ash saw how Bulbasaur was too weak to avoid the cold attack. Then, Bulbasaur collapsed!

"Yeah, Castform, we can do it!" Whitney said with a big smile.

"Bulbasaur, you did a very nice job. Come back," Ash said, returning the beaten Grass Pokemon to his Poke Ball. Then, he took another Poke Ball from his belt, sending out his next Pokemon. "Totodile, go!"

"Castform, let's get our second win in a row," Whitney said. "Thunder!" A big shockwave was aimed at Totodile. The crocodile Pokemon was zapped, but stood up, and even started jumping and dancing.

"How can he dance after such a shock?" Whitney asked.

"I'm afraid Ash's Totodile's got ADD," Misty replied.

"We can do it, Totodile!" Ash said energetically. "Use your Ice Beam!" Castform got stuck in the ice, and changed his shape. He turned blue, and looked like a snowy cloud.

"Now, Totodile, use your Focus Punch!" Ash commanded. Because Castform was unable to move in the ice, Totodile had all time to focus and prepare. "Now!" Ash shouted. Totodile raised his right fist, and broke through the ice, hitting Castform harshly. The transformed Pokemon was done for.

"You did a good job, Castform. Have some rest," Whitney said. She returned Castform to her Poke Ball, and sent out Miltank, her signature Pokemon.

"Totodile, we can do it. Use your Headbutt!" Ash commanded. The crocodile ran at the cow Pokemon, and hit her. However, Miltank didn't look harmed.

"Now use your Rollout!" Whitney commanded. Miltank lay on her back and started rolling around the battlefield, harshly hitting Totodile, who already had a hard fight against Castform.

"No, Totodile!" Ash shouted. "Can you get up?" The Water Pokemon tried to stand up, and succeeded in that. "Yeah, Totodile!" Ash said. "Now let's use Dragonbreath!" A green ray came out of Totodile's mouth, hitting Miltank, who looked damaged by the attack.

"Miltank, let's do this now. Use your Tackle!" The cow Pokemon ran at Totodile, and hit him. The Water Pokemon fell down on the ground and couldn't stand up anymore.

"Totodile, you did a great job! Come back and have some rest," Ash said. "I've got only one Pokemon left. Squirtle, go!" A turtle Pokemon came out of Ash's Poke Ball.

"Squirtle, use your Water Gun!" Ash shouted. Water was aimed at Miltank, who got wet, but didn't look injured.

"Miltank, use your Body Slam!" Whitney commanded. The cow Pokemon hit the turtle before he had a chance to evade. Squirtle looked hurt and seemed to be exhausted. He tried to stand up.

"Squirtle, you can do it!" Ash shouted.

"Pika Pika!" Ash's Pikachu added to that.

"Come on, Squirtle, I know you can beat that Miltank!" Misty shouted.

"Toge Togetic," Togetic said.

Squirtle then stood up, even though it was just barely. The turtle Pokemon knew he had to finish the battle quickly, he couldn't take much more. Both Ash and Whitney noticed that as well.

"Squirtle, Bubblebeam," Ash said to Squirtle. Bubbles were spit at Miltank, who got hit quite harshly. The force of the bubbles took their toll on Miltank, who looked exhausted, but wasn't defeated yet.

"Miltank, let's finish this once and for all with Rollout!" Whitney shouted. The cow Pokemon rolled at Squirtle at high speed.

"Squirtle, Wirthdraw!" Ash shouted. Squirtle hid his legs, arms, tail and head in his shell. It was just in time: just before Miltank hit the shell, Squirtle was fully wirthdrawn in his crust. Even though he was blown in the air at high speed, he didn't suffer from the attack. "Now use Hydro Pump!" High-powered rays of water came out of the shell, throwing Miltank at the wall.

"And now finish her off with Skull Bash!" his Trainer commanded. The turtle came out of his shell and hurled himself at Miltank, hitting her with his head at high speed. Miltank was exhausted. She lied on the ground and didn't move anymore.

"Miltank, you did well. Have some deserved rest," Whitney said to her Pokemon. Then, she walked to Ash, who was celebrating the win with Squirtle. "Ash, you've done a great job, you deserve this Plain Badge!" she said. She gave Ash his reward: a badge.

"Yay, I've got... a Plain Badge!" he shouted. "Pi Pikachu," Pikachu added to that. Ash returned Squirtle to his Poke Ball.

"Ash, that was awesome!" Misty complimented.

Ash and Misty said goodbye to Whitney and left the Gym. When they walked out of the building, Ash felt a blow in his stomach. "What was that?" he asked.

"It's a Growlithe," Misty said. The Fire Pokemon lied on the ground after bumping into Ash. Then, it stood up and tried to attack Misty, who padded it because she felt sorry for it after bumping into Ash.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt on that Growlithe," Ash commanded. As his trainer said, Pikachu zapped Growlithe, who was defeated. "Go, Poke Ball!" Ash shouted, hurling a red and white ball at the dog Pokemon. After waiting a few seconds, Ash saw Growlithe was caught.

However, then the Poke Ball suddenly disappeared. "Misty, let's go to the Pokemon Center to use a phone there. Then we can get Growlithe here," Ash proposed.

"Okay, but I also want to shop here before we leave this city," Misty said. She and Ash started walking to the Pokemon Center, which was very close by the Gym.

"But that's boring!" Ash replied.

"I don't care, I really want this, whether you like it or not!" Misty replied, looking annoyed and slightly mad.

"Oh all right..." Ash said. "But only if you won't ask me for my opinion on every item you try on."

"That's okay, you don't have any sense of how good clothes look anyways," Misty said with a smile. Ash looked like he was annoyed.

Then, they arrived at the Pokemon Center and dialled Professor Oaks phone number.

"Hello, Ash and Misty," the Professor said.

"Hello Professor," Ash and Misty said simultaneously.

"Ash, can I ask you a favour?" Oak asked.

"Of course!" Ash replied.

"There have been fires around Pallet Town recently, and the fire fighting squad could use some help. Could you please send Squirtle to me? Then he can stay at the laboratory like your other Pokemon, and can be called upon when there's a fire," Oak explained.

"That's okay," Ash replied. "Could you send me my newly caught Growlithe in return?" Ash asked.

"Of course!" Oak responded. Then, Ash and Professor Oak swapped the Pokemon.

"Professor, Squirtle just battled against Whitney, so he's very tired now. You should let him rest," Ash said .

"That's okay," Oak said. "Congratulations with your badge, by the way!"

"Thanks," Ash replied.

"Bye Ash, and thank you," Professor Oak said.

"Bye Professor," Ash responded.

"Ash, now we're going to shop," Misty said. She and Ash walked out of the Pokemon Center and set course to the mall. They walked through the streets of Goldenrod City, and saw buildings like the Radio Tower, and the Goldenrod City Department Store, which sold Pokemon goods and lots of potions and curing items. But Ash and Misty wouldn't go there, they were heading to the shopping mall.

"This is gonna be boring..." he thought. "Misty, is there anything I can do to not have to do this?" he asked.

"No, there isn't," she replied.

Then, Ash saw a billboard with some Bug Pokemon on it, and read the text. "Are you a Pokemon Trainer? If yes, take part in the Bug Catching Contest! 1 September in the National Park!"

"Misty, the Bug Catching Contest is next Saturday! That's only three days from now. I'm gonna participate."

"Why?"

"Because I wanna win, I'm already excited," he replied. But there was no excitement now: he walking to the shopping mall, because Misty wanted to go there...

"Ash, is this really necessary?" Misty asked.

"Yes, it is! And I think it's fair," he replied. "You get to go to the shopping mall now, which I hate, so me going to that contest which you hate should be fair."

"He's right..." she thought. "It would be unfair to forbid him, but I can't stand those bugs..." Then, she looked at Ash and said "I don't like it, but you're right."

Then, they arrived at a store. Misty entered the shop and went to the jeans department. She tried on different jeans, and asked Ash which one he liked the most. He didn't care, and kept saying that. He also didn't understand how he should judge what looks the best on Misty. "Misty, I'm so bored..." he said.

"Well, I'll be bored during the Bug Catching Contest, and we won't stop shopping until I have jeans, a coat for the winter and a cardigan!" she replied.

"Then I hope that won't take too long..." he responded.

"Ash, I have an idea to make this somewhat less boring for you," she proposed. "Maybe you need some new clothes too?"

"But that's even more annoying than waiting for you!" he said.

"Well, maybe you also need a coat for when it's colder," Misty said. "Here, try this one on, I think it'll look good on you." Ash tried on the green winter jacket. "Hey, it does look good on you!" she said.

"Well, you are right about me needing a coat for the winter, so let's buy it," Ash said.

Half an hour later, Misty finally found jeans she liked. She walked at Ash and asked him whether they looked nice on her or not. But Ash didn't respond: he was sleeping on a chair in the shop.

"Ash, wake up!" Misty shouted in his ear.

"What... I was sleeping... And shopping here is so boring... Misty, was that really necessary?" he asked.

"Yes, it was!" Misty answered. "Now, do you think I look good in these jeans or not?"

"What... Yes...zzzz..." Ash replied with a sleepy face, almost falling asleep again. He didn't slumber again: Misty prevented that with her iron right fist.

"Okay, sorry! I'll stay awake now... But Misty, can we go now? Let's just go to the pay check and leave this stupid shop," Ash proposed.

"No," Misty replied.

"Why not?" he asked.

"I also want to buy a cardigan and a coat here. The temperatures are going down lately, and only having the belly top I'm wearing now is too chilly," Misty said. "I want a cardigan to wear over this top, and also want a coat for when winter starts."

"Shall I help you looking for clothes? Then we'll be finished sooner," Ash proposed.

"Your taste is horrible, but maybe you accidentally find something nice," Misty said. Ash didn't feel offended: he knew Misty was right.

"Look, Misty. Maybe this black cardigan is nice?" Ash asked.

"Hey, Ash, I like it! I'll try it on." Misty replied. She put on the black garment and looked in a mirror on the wall. "Thanks, Ash! I don't know how, but you found a nice cardigan for me, in the right size!"

"Well, it means we can get out of this stupid store faster," he responded.

"Um... Indeed," she said. Then, she and Ash walked to the coats department. There, Misty saw a long, red winter jacked. She tried it on, and found out it fitted her well. She also thought it looked nice on her, and decided to buy it.

After standing in a long line for the pay check for half an hour (which made Ash even more bored and annoyed than he already was), Misty finally purchased the clothes she wanted. She went to a fitting room to put on her jeans after paying for the clothes, and put her shorts and jacket in her bag. She put on her new cardigan too, but left it open. Ash put his coat in his bad. Then, she and Ash finally left the store, much to Ash's happiness. Pikachu and Togetic also were glad to leave the store: human's clothing didn't interest the two Pokemon, who were quietly following their trainers around while being bored all the time in the store.

"I'm sure glad we're out of that store," Ash said.

"I'm glad I found nice clothes in just one store, that went faster than I expected," Misty replied. "Now let's move on to National Park."

"National Park, here we come!" Ash shouted with a lot of enthusiasm. He started running at high speed, with Misty, Pikachu and Togetic trying to keep up with him. Then, Togetic said something to Pikachu: "To Togetic!"


	15. Chapter 15

It was a nice autumn afternoon when Ash and Misty were walking to National Park, after having lunch. Soon, they would be there where Ash was going to take part in the Bug Catching Contest this afternoon, just like he did six years ago.

"Ash, is there nothing I can do to make you skip this contest?" Misty begged, looking really sad.

"No. I went clothe shopping with you, this is the least you could do in return," Ash responded.

Then, when they reached the entrance of National Park, Ash saw a phone and quickly decided to call Professor Oak.

"Hey Ash, it's good to see you," he said.

"Professor Oak, I quickly want to get my Quilava for the Bug Catching Contest," Ash said.

"Okay, but I need Quilava back for my research immediately after the contest. What Pokemon will you send to me?"

"I'll send you Pidgeot."

And so, the trade happened. Ash and Professor Oak said goodbye to each other.

"That's smart, Ash! Quilava has a type advantage against Bug Pokemon," Misty said.

"Indeed, and I also wanted to see Quilava again after such a long amount of time. This journey, I'll start rotating my Pokemon more often," Ash replied.

"That's a good thing, then you can see some of your Pokemon that are with Professor Oak more often," Misty said.

Then, they heard a familiar voice. "Hey, you guys! It's great to see you two again!"

"Hey Brock!" Ash said. He gave his old pal a high-five.

"It's nice to see you again, Brock! How are you doing?" Misty asked. "And what are you doing here?"

"Well," Brock said, "life isn't good for me now. After flirting with Officer Jenny at the Pokemon Center when taking her injured Growlithe, my girlfriend Nurse Joy dumped me... She caught me hitting on Officer Jenny."

"Brock, you did that to yourselves. No woman will accept it if their boyfriend constantly flirts with others," Misty replied.

"I know, but I just can't control myself when I see a hot woman..." Brock said.

"And what brings you here to National Park?" Ash asked.

"In Pewter City, I saw a billboard about this contest, so I decided to go here because I thought you two would be here." his best friend replied.

"Are you going to take part too?" Ash asked.

"You bet! You won't win this contest, 'cause Brock's here!" Brock replied.

"Brock, stop it. You know I'm going to win this contest," Ash responded.

Misty tried to change the topic. "And how are you doing as a Pokemon Doctor?"

"I quit," Brock said. Ash and Misty looked surprised?

"Why? You seemed dedicated to that when we parted in Sinnoh..." Ash asked.

"It's nice to help injured Pokemon, but I miss what I really love doing: being a Pokemon Breeder. A doctor can only take care of injured Pokemon, while I want to learn more about Pokemon and treat and train them well when they're healthy too. So from now on, I'll go traveling again and work on becoming a better Pokemon Breeder," Brock replied.

"That's just like Gary! He said he missed being a Pokemon trainer and now he's my rival again, and acts like a total dick to me..." Ash said.

"Does he also drive around in a limousine with his cheerleaders again?" Brock asked.

"Yes, he does," Misty answered.

"I'd love to see that..." Brock said.

Then, a purple-haired girl came at Ash, Misty and Brock. "Hello! It's great to see you all again," she said.

"Hi Casey!" Ash, Misty and Brock said simultaneously.

"Meganium, let's sing!" Casey ordered. And so it happened: Casey started singing the Electabuzz victory song. "Come on Electabuzz, the greatest team of all..." Ash, Misty and Brock didn't listen, while Pikachu and Togetic were dancing together with Casey's Meganium.

Then, they heard a loud voice out of a microphone. "Trainers, the Bug Catching Contest will start in five minutes. All Trainers can get Park Balls upon entering the National Park. When you caught a Pokemon you're satisfied with, return to the entrance. Each trainer is only allowed to use one Pokemon. After an hour, we'll take a look at the Pokemon you've caught and decide the winner. The winner gets to keep his or her Pokemon and will win a Sun Stone."

Ash took a Poke Ball from his belt. "Quilava, I choose you!" Ash said. "Hey, Quilava, long time no see!" Quilava looked happy. "Quilava!"

Then, Casey and Brock also chose their Pokemon for the contest. Casey decided to take part with her Electabuzz, while Brock chose his Ludicolo.

Then, when the contest started, Misty went to the stand after wishing Ash, Brock and Casey good luck. She wanted to be as far away from the bugs as possible. Those scary insects scared the hell out of her. Her Togetic accompanied her, while Ash and Casey left Pikachu and Meganium with her as well.

Ash walked through the grass and saw a group of trees. When looking there, he saw a Volbeat. The firefly was sitting on a branch. "Quilava, hit it with your Flamethrower!" Ash commanded. The Fire Pokemon spit some fire at the Bug Pokemon, who fell down the tree. It was knocked out, so Ash threw a Park Ball. Volbeat was caught! "Yay, I've got... a Volbeat!" he shouted so loud, that the whole park could hear him. Quilava also danced from happiness like he was Totodile.

From two hundred metres away, Brock saw everything. "Well done, Ash!" he shouted.

"Thanks, Brock! Good luck catching a Pokemon!" Ash replied.

Then, Brock saw a Parasect. "Ludicolo, use your Razor Leaf!" Brock commanded. Ludicolo hurled leaves at the Grass and Bug Pokemon, but the opponent didn't seem to be affected. Then, the Parasect charged at Ludicolo, who looked hurt.

"That's a strong Double-Edge... Can you go on, Ludicolo?" Brock asked.

Ludicolo stood up. "Yeah, that's the spirit!" his trainer said. "Ludicolo, use your Doubleslap!" Ludicolo slapped Parasect multiple times, until it was defeated.

"Great, Ludicolo!" Brock said. "Park Ball, go!" After a few seconds, the Park Ball stopped moving and Parasect was caught.

On the other side of the park, Casey was having more trouble. While Brock and Ash were already at the entrance with their bugs, Casey was still searching with only ten minutes left. She wasn't even able to find a Weedle or a Caterpie!

However, with only eight minutes left, she saw a big, yellow and black striped Pokemon sleeping. A Vespiquen! Not only a very strong Pokemon, also a Pokemon fitting Casey's preference for Pokemon with black and yellow stripes. This was a dream come true for the Electabuzz baseball fan. And the bee Pokemon was sleeping, so catching it shouldn't be too hard. Casey decided to throw a Park Ball without battling, but the Vespiquen came out of the Park Ball, and was awake too!

"Electabuzz, it looks like we gotta battle for this! Use your Thunder!" Then, the bee went down. "Park Ball, go!" Casey shouted. She prayed to Arceus, hoping to catch Vespiquen this time. Arceus granted her wish: she captured the bee!

"Yay, I've got.. a Vespiquen!" she shouted. Then, she and her Electabuzz hurried to the entrance. She was just in time: there were two minutes left.

Meanwhile, at the stand, Misty was waiting. She got lucky: in the past hour, no Bug Pokemon crawled on her legs yet. However, she didn't get that lucky: behind her back, Togetic was having a conversation with a wild Ariados and a wild Ledian. Pikachu tapped her back and pointed at Togetic and the bugs. Then, Misty went crazy. "AAAHHH! BUGS! HELP!"

Pikachu was shocked by Misty's reaction, even though he knew about her bug phobia. Pikachu couldn't help it: he shocked Misty, Togetic and the wild bugs. Meganium got lucky: she didn't get affected by the Electric attack. Ledian and Ariados quickly went away at the speed of light, but not as fast as Team Rocket when they're sent flying.

Then, the event was finally over. Misty and the Pokemon went back to their friends.

"Hey, Misty, you and Togetic look hot-headed and a bit electric..." Ash said. He was laughing.

"What happened to you?" Casey asked.

"Togetic was having a conversation with two wild Bug Pokemon, I got scared and Pikachu got shocked by that, and shocked us..." Misty replied.

"Well, you're still not over that fear," Brock mentioned.

"I probably never will," Misty said.

Then, the announcer announced the results. "Third, with a beautiful Vespiquen, Casey! Give her a big applause!" Casey went on a stage, and looked disappointed: she didn't get to keep her newly caught bug.

"Second, with a strong Volcarona, Bugsy!" The Azalea Town Gym Leader took part in this contest every year, as a Bug Pokemon lover. He walked up on the stage, and was unable to keep Volcarona. "I was so close..." he thought.

"Even Bugsy didn't win... Then the winner must've caught a really good Pokemon," Brock said.

"I bet I'm the winner!" Ash replied.

"And the winner is, with a remarkably strong Parasect, Brock!" the announcer stated.

"YAHOO! FIRST PRIZE!" Brock screamed from happiness. "AND FINALLY A PARASECT!" He ran up on the stage and got his prize. But what was more important to him, was that he also was able to keep his Parasect!

Then, the contest ended. Many people left National Park. Ash, Misty and Brock said goodbye to Casey, who went back to Goldenrod City to catch the Magnet Train to Saffron City. She was travelling through Kanto. But before she left, she sang the Electabuzz Victory Song once more, to Ash's, Misty's and Brock's annoyance and Pikachu's and Togetic's pleasure.

"Brock, congratulations with your Parasect! Why did you want one so badly?" Ash asked.

"Thanks, Ash! And Parasect can produce all sorts of medicinal powder, which is always great for a Pokemon Breeder," Brock answered.

"Where will you be going now?" Misty asked.

"Um... I don't know," he said.

"Hey, I know! Brock, how about traveling with me and Misty again for the time being, just like before?" Ash suggested.

"That's a great idea!" Misty added to that.

"Of course," Brock replied happily. "Thank you! But only for a short while: when Pike Queen Lucy returns from her holiday to Dewford Island, I want to be back in Kanto, so I might have a shot at getting together with her! She really liked me when we visited her years ago, so maybe I can stand a chance."

"You're welcome," Misty said. "And I've never met Lucy, but from what Ash told me about her, you and her can be a great couple! When will she return?"

"In three weeks," Brock said.

"Where will you two be going now?" Brock asked.

"We're off to Ecruteak City," Ash said. "Then we'll head for Olivine City and then we'll go to the Whirl Islands, where Misty will take part in the Whirl Cup."

"Okay, that's cool. Then I'll travel with you two until Ash won his Badge in Ecruteak City, then I'll take the plane back to Kanto. I also have a suggestion: I saw a billboard at the airport of Pewter City about the Catch-A-Seaking competition, in which Misty also took part six years ago. Maybe you two could take part again," Brock suggested.

"Yay!" Misty shouted. "Thank you, Brock! When is it?"

"You're welcome," Brock said. "And it's in two days."

"Thanks, Brock. I'll use Dewgong, he hasn't battled much lately," Misty said.

Then, Ash, Misty and Brock walked onwards. However, after two minutes, Misty said "Ash, you forget to send Quilava back to Professor Oak!" And so, our heroes went back to the National Park entrance, and gave their friend a phone call.

"Hello, Ash!" Professor Oak said. "How was the contest? Did you win?"

"Unfortunately, no. Brock won," Ash said.

"Aww, that's too bad for you and Quilava. Could I have your Quilava back?" the professor responded.

"Sure!" Ash replied.

"Hold on, Ash," Professor Oak said. "Is it okay if I send you your Noctowl instead of Pidgeot? Noctowl really misses you."

"That's okay. And come to think of it, Noctowl will come in handy in my next Gym Battle anyways," Ash replied.

"That's good. Noctowl is happy with your decision," Professor Oak said.

Then, Ash put the Poke Ball on a platform next to the video phone. The Poke Ball got transported and got replaced by another Poke Ball, in which Noctowl was. Ash and Professor Oak said goodbye to each other.

Then, Ash and Misty walked onwards. They saw a big balloon shaped like a Meowth. "Oh no, it's Team Rocket!" Brock said.

"Noctowl, I choose you! You know what needs to be done!" Ash said. The owl with the odd colours came out of the Poke Ball and popped Team Rocket's balloon, just like he did in the old days. "Thank you, Noctowl. Return!" Jessie, James and Meowth lay on the ground, and just stood up.

"Why did you do that, twerps?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah, we didn't do anything yet!" James shouted angrily.

"Well, you two are never up to anything good," Misty replied.

"I'll handle this further. Hoppip, I choose you!" Misty shouted. However, instead of the pink Grass Pokemon, Psyduck decided to come out of its Poke Ball.

"Psyduck, that was very naughty!" Misty shouted.

"Psy..." the not so smart duck said, not understanding what was going on.

"Psyduck, hit that balloon with your Psybeam now!" Misty snapped, getting more and more angry at her Pokemon. Psyduck didn't understand.

Then, it was all too much for Misty. She collected all her power and hit Psyduck on his head with her strong right fist. Then, Psyduck got a headache, triggering its psychic powers. He used Psychic, and Team Rocket went blasting off again! Misty returned Psyduck to its Poke Ball.

"We didn't do anything wrong... This is unfair!" Jessie said.

"We just have to live with it... Every time we encounter the twerps, we'll be attacked, whether we did something wrong or not..." James said in a sad voice.

"We didn't even get to say our anthem," Meowth said. He started crying.

Then, Jessie's Wobbuffet popped out of its Poke Ball. "Wobbuffet!"

"Team Rocket is blasting off again!" Jessie and James said simultaneously.

"Meowth!" the talking cat added to that.

"We disposed of them nicely," Brock said.

"Your Psyduck is strong, even more impressive than how short your temper is," Ash said to his girlfriend.

"I don't have a short temper!" Misty snapped at Ash.

"Misty, you obviously have an anger problem," Brock said. "You can only solve problems if you accept them, and don't deny them."

"I don't have an anger problem!" Misty screamed. Ash and Brock were scared and stopped talking about it.

Later that afternoon, after walking further, our heroes saw a blonde-haired girl wearing skinny jeans and an "I love Gary" T-shirt practicing her dance moves. "Gary, Gary, he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can!" she muttered. Next to her was a Fearow dancing along.

"Hello, are you a Gary fan?" Ash asked.

"Yes, I am, I'm practicing my dance moves, hoping to ever become one of his cheerleaders," the girl replied. Then, she looked into Ash's eyes, and shouted "But you are even hotter than Gary!" She gave Ash a hug and attempted to kiss him on the cheek.

However, Misty prevented that by pushing the Gary fangirl away. "Sorry, but he already has a girlfriend!" she shouted.

"Thanks, Misty!" Ash whispered.

"Hey, girl, you won't get Ash, but you can have me! What's your name? I'm Brock," the former Pewter City Gym Leader said.

"I'm Anne. And this is my pal Fearow. And I'm not interested in a relationship with you," the girl said. "I only want Ash or Gary."

Then, she walked up to Misty. "Don't be so protective of Ash! Maybe he wants me. It's up to him to choose!"

"Sorry, but he's in a relationship with me and he loves me! He thanked me for saving him from your kiss!" Misty snapped.

"Let's battle about that!" Anne proposed. "One on one"

"Ash's heart decided he chooses me, but if you want me to humiliate you in a battle, be my guest!" Misty replied. "Go, Hoppip!"

"Oh no, Misty is at a type disadvantage..." the heartbroken Brock said.

"Brock, you don't know that Hoppip," Ash said. "That Pokemon is a beast."

"Brock, will you be the referee?" Misty asked.

"Sure," Brock answered.

"Fearow, let's start with your Drill Peck!" Anne commanded. The ferocious bird Pokemon flew at Misty's tiny Grass Pokemon, who quickly evaded the big bird's beak.

"Hoppip, use your Razor Leaf!" Misty commanded. The pink Pokemon hurled leaves at Fearow, who fell down on the ground.

"And now Bounce!" Hoppip bumped on Fearow's back multiple times. Fearow didn't really feel pain, but felt something tickle. This distracted the bird from battling.

"Hoppip, suck all energy out of the bird with your Leech Seed!" Misty commanded. Fearow still felt the tickle and wasn't concentrated enough to evade the attack. Vines came out of the seed shot by Hoppip and covered Fearow.

"Hoppip, let's finish this with Seed Bomb!" the former Cerulean City Gym Leader said. Seeds were hurled at Fearow, who was done for.

"Fearow is defeated. Victory goes to Misty and Hoppip!" Brock the referee stated. Misty gave Hoppip a hug, and Togetic was happy too. The Happiness Pokemon congratulated her friend Hoppip, just before Pikachu gave Togetic a big hug. Then, the Grass Pokemon was recalled to his Poke Ball.

"Anne, I told you you were going down, and my prediction came true," Misty said.

"You're right... I'm the laughing stock of the Goldenrod City Gary Fan Club!" Anne replied. She started crying.

"How many members does that lame club have?" Ash asked.

"I'm the only member," Anne cried. Then, Ash, Misty and Brock walked away, with Togetic flying next to them and Pikachu sitting on Ash's shoulder.

"Misty, that Hoppip is very impressive!" Brock said, while our heroes were walking through the grasslands.

"Thank you!" Misty said.

Then, our heroes walked onwards. Onwards to the pond on this road, which was still quite some miles away. And onwards to Ecruteak City.


	16. Chapter 16

On a nice, sunny autumn afternoon, our heroes were heading forward to a big lake down the road to Ecruteak City. There, Misty would participate in the Catch-A-Seaking Contest. In that contest, participants are allowed to use one Pokemon and a rod of their choice, and have one hour to catch a Seaking, using Lake Balls. The participant catching the heaviest Seaking is the winner, and will get a trophy and a year's supply of chocolate. Participants are not allowed to keep the Seaking, and are also not allowed to catch a Seaking if that Seaking has been defeated by another participant.

"We're almost there, I can already see a flag of the contest," Brock said after looking on his map. "And we still have one and a half hour before the contest starts."

"I'm so excited! And the prize is a year's supply of chocolate," Misty replied. "And of course the trophy would also be awesome to have!"

"Brock, how about a practice battle? In the meantime, Misty can register for the contest," Ash proposed.

"Good idea, Ash! But I won't go easy on you!" Brock replied.

"Totodile, I choose you!" Ash shouted.

"Marshtomp, let's beat him!" Brock said.

"Totodile, start this battle with Headbutt!" Ash said. Totodile ran at Marshtomp and immediately started the battle with a harsh hit.

However, Marshtomp also was able to hit Totodile harshly. "Marshtomp, use your Double-Edge!" Brock commanded. A harsh tackle damaged Totodile.

"Totodile, use your Iron Tail!" Ash shouted. Totodile jumped, and hit the slow Marshtomp harshly with its tail.

"Marshtomp, use your Water Pulse!" Brock shouted. Some water hit Totodile, who seemed confused after being hit on the head. However, some seconds later, the confusion seemed to be over.

"Totodile, Scary Face!" Ash commanded. Totodile tried to look angry in order to scare Marshtomp, but the Ground Pokemon was laughing instead. In fact, he couldn't stop! Totodile wasn't able to scare its opponent, but he was able to distract it: mission accomplished!

"Totodile, now hit him with Hydro Pump before he can stand up!" Ash commanded. Totodile spit water at Marshtomp at high speed, hitting the Ground Pokemon. Marshtomp fell on the ground.

"Marshtomp, can you stand up?" Brock asked. Marshtomp tried, but seemed to be unable to continue this battle.

Ash started celebrating. "Yay, I... WHAT?" Ash interrupted himself and was shocked. Marshtomp started glowing, grew and turned into a Swampert: he evolved!

"Cool, Marshtomp... Er, I mean Swampert, you evolved!" Brock said, looking amazed at his newly evolved Pokemon. "Would you like to continue this battle?" Swampert nodded "yes", even though he was tired.

"Totodile, let's end this once and for all! Use your Ice Beam!" Ash commanded.

"Swampert, evade it and use Hyper Beam!" Swampert jumped, started charging, and then, a small explosion followed. When the smoke was gone, Ash and Brock were able to see that both Pokemon were defeated. Totodile was defeated by the strong Hyper Beam, while Swampert was too tired to go on. Using Hyper Beam took a lot of its power.

"Swampert, you battled well. Have some rest," Brock said gently to his defeated Pokemon. "Ash, you did a fine job," Brock complimented his friend.

"You did well too," Ash replied. "And your Marshtomp evolved." He called Totodile back into his Poke Ball.

Shortly after that, Misty returned from the reception counter. In about half an hour, the contest would start. While Misty walked to the boats she could use for the contest, Ash and Brock walked to the stand to watch the contest, cheer for Misty and take care of her Togetic.

When walking next to the lake, Misty let Dewgong outside of his Poke Ball. "Dewgong, you and me are gonna win the Catch-A-Seaking Contest!"

Dewgong replied with a smile. "Dew gong gong gong!" he said energetically.

Then, Misty saw a familiar face: it was Marina, her rival. "Hey, Marina! It's good to see you here!" she shouted.

"It's nice to see you too, Misty," Marina said. "But Starmie and I'll beat you."

"No, you won't," Misty responded. "Dewgong and I are going to win."

Then, Misty walked onwards. She saw another rival of hers, her friend Sakura. "Hey, Sakura! Good luck into this contest!"

"Thanks, Misty!" Sakura replied. "And your Dewgong looks cool!"

"Thank you," Misty said. Dewgong looked flattered. "With what Pokemon are you participating?"

"I'll use my Espeon," Sakura said.

Then, Misty found her boat. She and Dewgong hopped into it. They were ready to start the contest. When she heard the starting signal, Misty went to a spot in the lake where no others were. She took her backpack, took her rod out of it, put a Misty lure on it and hurled it into the water.

After one minute, Misty felt something was on the hook. With a lot of trouble, she reeled in the rod, and a very big Seaking appeared!

"Dewgong, this is our chance to catch a great one! Use your Aurora Beam!" Misty commanded. A beam with beautiful colours hit the wild fish, who wasn't defeated yet. Instead, the Pokemon swam away from Misty. She tried chasing it with her boat, but was unable to keep up with the speedy fish.

"Well, that was a good show! I'm laughing my ass off!" someone said in a mean voice. Misty turned around and saw Andreas, the man who she battled after catching an equally heavy Seaking six years ago. He was an arrogant person, who ripped on Misty six years ago. And he hasn't changed a bit.

"Andreas, did you already catch a Seaking?" Misty asked.

"Of course!" he said. "My Mantine is strong enough to beat 'em in one hit with Wing Attack, unlike your weak Dewgong! We already caught a really fat Seaking, who'll win us this contest! So now, go away and let Mantine and me relax in the sun!"

Misty drove away. She wanted to get away from that horrible guy as soon as possible. Dewgong had thoughts about hurting Andreas with his horn, but decided to teach Andreas a lesson by beating him instead of being violent.

Meanwhile, Ash and Brock were sitting on the stand. They weren't paying attention to Misty, they were talking.

"Brock, why are you attracted to almost any girl you see?" Ash asked.

"I don't know, that's how the Lord Arceus created me," Brock replied. "Don't you sometimes feel attracted to others than Misty?"

"Rarely," Ash replied. "Six years ago, we met that girl, Giselle. I thought she was totally hot, but I didn't develop a crush and didn't fall in love. Aside from that, I never had feelings for others than Misty," Ash replied.

"What was the moment when you realized and accepted your feelings for Misty?" Brock asked.

"Three years ago, after returning from my second journey through Sinnoh. People often told me I was in love with Misty back when I travelled with her six years ago, but I never believed it. Back then, I felt something, but wasn't able to define what I felt. Three years ago, that feeling got stronger and stronger, and when my mom said that I probably was in love, I finally realized and accepted all these people were right," Ash said.

"You are so dense, you should've realized this sooner!" Brock snapped.

"When?" Ash asked.

"Back when we travelled, then you could've confessed to her before we had to split in Johto," Brock answered.

"Come on!" Ash snapped. "I was ten years old, ten year olds aren't romantic!"

"Well, Misty was romantic when she was ten! I talked to her about her feelings for you very often when you were training. She wanted to confess, but was too afraid you'd say no. You only seemed interested in Pokemon, and not in anything else. She gave so many hints, but you just couldn't understand. I promised her to never tell anybody this until she confessed her feelings herselves," Brock responded. "And I was also able to feel love at the age of ten!"

"Brock, are you sure you ever really loved a girl?" Ash asked. "You mostly see girls as hot, as eye candy to share the bed with! Have you ever felt real love? I feel real love for Misty!"

"I know you do, Ash," Brock said. "And yes, I really love Lucy. She's more special than all those other girls I met..."

"And when you are together with her, you'll keep flirting with any random hot chick you meet," Ash said.

"No!" Brock screamed.

"Why should I believe that? You told you and Nurse Joy broke up because you kept flirting with others..." Ash asked.

"Because I just saw Nurse Joy as hot," Brock replied. "I really love Lucy."

"Well, good luck. And be romantic!" Ash advised.

"Ash, why are you the one saying that?" Brock asked.

"Why do you ask that?" Ash replied.

"Well, you are the most unromantic person I know! Even when you take Misty on a romantic date to watch the sunset, you screw it up because you want to battle!" Brock shouted.

"But I did come up with the idea all by myself!" Ash defended himself. "I was trying to be romantic!"

"Yeah, but then you ruin the romance yourselves!" Brock shouted.

"Says the one who hasn't been able to find love in six years, even though he's been doing his very best to find love!" Ash replied.

"Um... I don't know what to say now... You're right..." Brock muttered. Then, Ash and Brock were silent for ten minutes.

"Sorry if I went too far... Are we still friends?" Ash asked after the silence.

"Of course you're still my best buddy... We're both not the perfect boyfriend for the ladies, but they'll have to accept us for who we are! No man is perfect," Brock said.

"You're right, even though I don't think Lucy would appreciate it if you cheat on her," Ash replied.

"You are totally right, I need to learn to control myself when I see an attractive girl," Brock replied. "But until I go to Lucy, I'm still free to flirt with whatever girl I want!" he added to that. Ash laughed.

Meanwhile, at the lake, Misty reeled in a Seaking. Then she noticed it: it was the same one she already caught this afternoon, the one that fled! This time Misty and Dewgong had an advantage: it was already weakened by Dewgong's Aurora Beam.

"Dewgong, defeat it with your Horn Drill!" Misty commanded. After hitting the fish with his horn, the Seaking was defeated.

Then, from out of nothing, a Lake Ball was thrown at Seaking. Then, Misty saw it was captured by a familiar-looking purple-haired woman wearing a pink ballet dress, accompanied by her Roselia, a red-haired man wearing a tuxedo and a cat-like creature with a black moustache, jeans and a black blouse. "Where do I know these guys from?" Misty thought.

"Hey, that's unfair! I defeated this Seaking!" Misty shouted.

"Yeah, but I threw a Lake Ball first!" the purple-haired woman shouted.

Then, the fake moustache of the cat-like creature fell of. It was Meowth, from Team Rocket! The other two were Jessie and James. They were crossdressing and wore wigs to make them unrecognisable.

"Hey, it's Team Rocket!" Misty said.

"Yeah, so what? We're allowed to participate in this contest," Jessie snapped.

"How did you get that Roselia, James?" Misty asked.

"I caught it in the forest yesterday, it was a wild one," James replied. "I prefer stealing over catching, but I already love my fairly acquired Roselia."

"Goodbye!" the three meanies shouted, quickly fleeing from Misty's raging right fist, which was about to hit James.

Misty knew she had to concentrate on the contest, and that she had to catch a new Seaking. She would never be able to prove she defeated the Seaking James caught: everyone could make such claims. So, Misty hurled her rod in the water, and got lucky: a quite big Seaking was on the hook! Then, Dewgong defeated the Seaking in one hit with his Aurora Beam. Misty threw a Lake Ball, and got lucky: the Seaking was caught! And just in time: after catching Seaking, the contest was over. The participants were asked to come to the reception to weigh their Seaking.

Andreas's Seaking was only 36 kilograms (the average Seaking is 39 kilograms). Misty was laughing out loud, and Dewgong looked at Andreas in a teasing way. Andreas was very angry: now Misty knew he overestimated the weight of his Seaking, and now Misty was likely to beat him. Then, Sakura was weighing her Seaking: 40 kilograms. James's fish was a whopping 50 kilograms! How could anyone beat that?

Then, Marina saw her Seaking was only 46 kilograms. Misty was the last one who got to weigh her Seaking: 50 kilograms, a tie!

When there is a tie in the Catch-A-Seaking contest, the people who tied have to do a one-on-one battle on a water field to decide the winner. Misty and James walked to the big stage, where a battlefield was located. There was water, and a few platforms to stand on as well. James's Roselia and Misty's Dewgong were ready to battle.

"You're going down, twerp!" James shouted. He wasn't wearing a wig anymore, but still wore his pink dress. The audience was laughing because of silly James was looking.

"You're going down, thief!" Misty snapped. "Dewgong, dive underwater!" Dewgong went underwater. Roselia wasn't able to see the Sea Lion Pokemon there.

"Dewgong, now use your Hyper Beam!" A strong beam out of Dewgong's horn defeated Roselia in one hit!

Then, Misty and Dewgong hugged. Ash, Brock, Togetic and Pikachu were happy as well, and immediately came to the stage to congratulate Misty.

However, then Jessie ran up to the stage, and grabbed Misty's trophy. "That thing will get me a lot of money on the black market!"

"No, it won't!" Brock said. "Go, Chansey! Use Psychic!" After coming out of her Poke Ball, Chansey waggled her fingers and moved the trophy from Jessie's hands to Misty with the Psychic attack. Then, Brock also sent out Steelix.

"Steelix, use your Iron Tail and make them blast off again!" Brock commanded. Steelix did what he had to do: he sent Team Rocket flying. Then, our heroes heard a loud "Team Rocket is blasting off again!"

"Misty, can I have some chocolate?" Ash asked.

"Only one bar, I'll donate the rest to charity," Misty replied.

"Why?" he asked.

"The poorest part of Cerulean City is the southeast of the city. There, many families can barely survive from their low incomes. The children there never get to eat something special, they can just eat enough to barely survive. Now it's time for them to get something tasty," she replied.

"Could I perhaps have two bars?" Ash was begging for chocolate, he was expecting more than one bar and was trying to see if he could get more.

"Okay, then, but two and no more than that!" Misty replied.

"Misty, it's a very mature decision of yours to do this!" Brock said.

"It'll be shipped to Cerulean City on our costs. This is very thoughtful of you, young lady!" the referee on the stage said.

Then, it was time to leave the lake, and walk onwards to Ecruteak City. The city wasn't very far away anymore, it was only two days walking away.

When walking through a grassy area with a river next to it, they noticed a brown-haired girl wearing jeans and a pink top. Ash and Misty knew her: it's Melody. She was riding her Milotic in the river, which was next to the road and led to Ecruteak City.

"Wow, she's hot!" Brock shouted. "That Milotic is gorgeous!" Misty added to that. Melody heard that, and looked where the sound came from. Then, she noticed Ash and Misty, who were holding hands and standing next to each other. She stepped on the grass, while Milotic was still in the river.

"Hey, Misty, how are you and your boyfriend doing?" Melody asked in a teasing manner.

"Great, I just won the Catch-A-Seaking Contest," Misty said.

"You have to admit that I was right six years ago. Ash is so your boyfriend!" Melody said.

"Not really. I did have feelings for him back then, and I still do, but I hadn't confessed my feelings to him yet back then, and he was too dense to confess!" Misty replied..

"Melody, you are hot. So, will you kiss me?" Brock asked.

"No, I won't," Melody said. Brock started crying.

"Hey, that's a cool Milotic!" Ash said. "How about a little battle?"

"Okay, what Pokemon will you choose?" Melody asked.

"Pikachu, he has a type advantage against your Milotic," Ash replied.

"Milotic, let's start off with a Twister!" Melody commanded. A tornado of water caught Pikachu and shaked him around. Pikachu was a bit dizzy, and also hurt, but far from defeated yet.

"Pikachu, use your Volt Tackle!" Ash commanded. Pikachu came at Milotic, who wasn't fast enough to evade. "Now we're equal."

"Milotic, hit him with your Confuse Ray!" Melody commanded. Pikachu got hit by a dark ray that confused Pikachu. He wasn't able to obey Ash anymore.

"Now, let's finish this with Hydro Pump!" Melody commanded. Pikachu was hit harshly by the strong attack. He collapsed.

"Oh no, Pikachu!" Ash shouted. Brock, who was acting as a referee, declared Melody to be the winner.

"Congratulations, Melody, well done," Ash said. Misty and Brock congratulated her as well.

"Thanks, guys," Melody said. "I have to go now, I have a date in National Park tomorrow, and I want to be on time."

"Who are you going to date?" Brock asked. His voice and his expression showed jealousy.

"A nice guy who I met on a dating site," Melody replied.

"Have fun! Bye!" Misty said. "When we meet again, please tell me how your date went!"

Then, our heroes walked onwards. Onwards to Ecruteak City.


	17. Chapter 17

Some days after Ash lost to Melody, our heroes finally reached Ecruteak City. Of course, Ash was looking forward to his next Gym Battle. Because of that, our heroes immediately went to the Gym.

Ash was knocking on the door. "Hello, is somebody there?" he shouted.

One minute later, a blonde-haired man opened the door. "Hey, it's cool to see you three again!" he said.

"Hi Morty!" Misty said.

"Will you battle me?" Ash immediately asked.

"Sure I will, come on in!" Morty replied. "Darling, we have a challenger here," he said to a woman in the Gym.

"Hey, what's Sabrina doing here?" Ash asked.

"She's my girlfriend. We're dating," Morty answered.

"You two look like a cute couple," Misty said.

"Thanks," Sabrina said.

"Sabrina, do you think you and me would look cute a a couple?" Brock asked.

"No," Sabrina said, making Brock cry.

"Hey, that's my Haunter!" Ash shouted, referring to the Pokemon he owned for a very short time back in Kanto, when he was a rookie. Sabrina owns the Ghost now, and she took it with her on her date with Morty.

"Ash, Haunter tells me by telepathy that he wants to battle by your side, just this one time, to apologise for the way he abandoned you when you were battling me six years ago. So how about it?" the psychic Sabrina asked.

"Of course!" Ash replied.

"Haun Haun," Haunter said happily, with a nice smile.

"Well, that's settled then. Good luck!" Sabrina said.

Then, Morty and Ash walked to the battle field. Misty, Brock and Sabrina were watching on the stand. In order to cheer better, Misty decided to take Hoppip out of her Poke Ball. The Grass Pokemon decided to stand next to Togetic. Together, the cuties started cheerleading for Ash.

The referee entered the field. "This is an official Gym Battle between challenger Ash and Ecruteak Gym Leader Morty. This is a three versus three Pokemon battle without a time limit. Trainers, choose your Pokemon!"

"Haunter, you're so eager to battle, so let's do this!" Ash shouted. Unlike six years ago, Haunter actually listened to Ash and entered the battlefield.

"I choose you, Gengar!" Morty shouted. He hurled a Poke Ball from his belt, and the big purple ghost appeared.

"Trainers, begin!" the referee shouted.

"Haunter, let's start with your Shadow Ball!" Ash shouted. A black blob was shot at Gengar, who wasn't fast enough to evade the attack.

"Gengar, you can take that. Now, use your Thunderbolt!" Morty commanded. A strong beam of lightning struck Haunter. The Ghost Pokemon looked like he was done for, but was able to carry on.

"Haunter, now use your Dark Pulse!" Ash shouted. A dark aura struck Gengar.

"Gengar, use Confuse Ray!" Morty said. A black and red aura touched Haunter, who was out of control.

"Now finish it with Shadow Ball!" Morty shouted. The purple ball hurled by Gengar struck Haunter, who collapsed.

"Haunter, no!" Ash moaned.

"Haunter is defeated. Gengar is the winner!" the referee announced.

"Haunter, you did a good job," Ash said. "I agree," Sabrina added to that. Then, she called the Ghost back into its Poke Ball.

"Gengar is strong, but Noctowl is stronger. Go, Noctowl!" Ash shouted.

"Gengar, use your Thunderpunch!" Morty shouted. Gengar hovered at Noctowl with a left fist glowing from electricity. However, Ash told Noctowl to evade just in time.

"Good, Noctowl. Now, it's time for Psybeam!" Ash commanded. A colourful beam was shot at Gengar, who seemed to have trouble with it.

"Gengar, let's finish this with Ice Punch," Morty said gently. Gengar flew at Noctowl, and this time, he hit the owl.

"Noctowl, you can go on!" Ash shouted. "Now, use your Air Slash!" Cutting blades were shot at Gengar, who got seriously hurt.

"Noctowl, now, finish this with a Shadow Ball!" Ash commanded. A black blob was thrown at Gengar, who crashed down from the sky and got defeated! The referee acknowledged this, and Morty had to retreat his Gengar. Then, he grabbed a Poke Ball from his belt, and sent out his Dusknoir.

"Dusknoir, let's do this! Use your Ice Beam!" A cold beam escaped the Ghost Pokemon's mouth, but Noctowl was able to evade it.

"Noctowl, use your Steel Wing!" Ash shouted. Noctowl flew at Dusknoir, hitting it harshly.

"That's a nasty Steel Wing, and a critical hit. But Dusknoir can still go on. Dusknoir, use your Confuse Ray!" The beam affected Noctowl, who was hopping around and unable to listen to its Trainer's commands.

"Noctowl, try to use your Shadow Ball!" Ash tried. However, the attack was shot in the opposite direction of the enemy, and got hurled at Ash, who collapsed.

Misty was shocked, and ran at her boyfriend. "Ash, are you okay?" Ash didn't move.

"Oh no, this is bad! Maybe we need to call a doctor!" Sabrina suggested. "But first, let's wait and see if Ash gets any better."

Five minutes later, Ash still didn't move. Misty started crying, afraid that her boyfriend might've just died. Her tears landed on Ash's face. Then, Misty softly kissed Ash on his cheek.

Then, a miracle happened: Ash opened his eyes! Misty was relieved: Ash was alive!

"Misty, where am I?" Ash asked.

"You're at the Ecruteak Gym now. You were battling Morty, when Noctowl accidentally hit you with his Shadow Ball," Misty answered.

"To me, it seems like it's best to quit this battle. Let Ash recover and then we can battle again tomorrow," Morty suggested.

"That's a good idea, Morty," Misty agreed.

However, Ash didn't want that. "No, I wanna continue this battle!" he said angrily. "Misty, help me up!" Misty grabbed Ash's arm, and helped him to stand up.

"Well, do you really want that, Ash?" Morty asked.

"Of course! And I don't even feel the pain from the Shadow Ball anymore! Misty's kiss saved me," Ash replied.

"Well, if that's true, we can continue," Morty said. "But if you feel dizzy or feel pain, just tell me if you want to quit this battle."

"No, I wanna battle!" Ash replied angrily.

"Noctowl, try another Shadow Ball!" he shouted. Noctowl was still confused, but this time Ash didn't get hit: the attack ended up hitting the wall. Noctowl was still hopping around aimlessly.

"Dusknoir, let's finish this with Ice Beam!" Morty shouted. Noctowl hopped away just in time to prevent getting hit, without knowing what he was doing.

"Noctowl, you can do it! I believe in you!" Ash shouted. Then, Noctowl came to his senses!

"Oh no!" Morty thought.

"Noctowl, now use your Shadow Ball, and this time you can hit that damn Dusknoir!" Noctowl shot a very powerful attack at the Ghost Pokemon, who was too slow to evade. Dusknoir collapsed!

"Dusknoir is defeated, Noctowl is the winner!" the referee stated. Noctowl thanked Dusknoir for his efforts and returned it to its Poke Ball.

"Ash, I only have one Pokemon left, but I'm not giving in! Misdreavus, I choose you!" the Gym Leader shouted.

"Noctowl, use your Psybeam!" Ash shouted. A colourful beam was shot at the Ghost Pokemon.

"Misdreavus, evade and then use Thunderbolt!" Morty shouted. After evading the attack, Misdreavus zapped Noctowl, who was too exhausted to evade, mainly because of the fight against Dusknoir. The referee declared Misdreavus the winner, so Ash had to retreat his trusty owl.

"Noctowl, you were awesome. Really, really awesome. Now, have some rest in your Poke Ball," Ash said. "Bulbasaur, it all depends on you now!" he shouted.

"Bulba Bulbasaur," his faithful Grass Pokemon added to that.

"Bulbasaur, let's do this quickly. Use your Solarbeam!" Ash shouted. The Grass Pokemon started charging the strong attack.

"Misdreavus, Rain Dance!" Morty shouted. Raindrops started falling in the Gym, even though there were no holes in the roof of the Ecruteak Gym. The rain caused Bulbasaur to struggle charging his Solarbeam.

Then, when Ash decided to make Bulbasaur stop charging, Morty's Misdreavus quickly used Thunder on her unsuspecting opponent! Normally, that wouldn't do much damage, but now Bulbasaur was wet because of the rain, an small boom followed. When the smoke went away, Ash saw Bulbasaur was exhausted, but not defeated.

"Can you go on?" Ash asked. His Grass Pokemon nodded "yes."

"Misdreavus, use your Shadow Ball!" Morty commanded. A black ball was hurled at Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, use your Energy Ball!" Ash shouted. A green ball of energy was directed at the Shadow Ball, which made the attack culminate in an explosion.

When the smoke drifted away, Ash and Morty saw that Bulbasaur and Misdreavus were exhausted. Bulbasaur had trouble just standing, and Misdreavus had trouble hovering. Then, both Pokemon collapsed! The referee said "Bulbasaur and Misdreavus have been defeated, the ..."

Then, both Pokemon tried to stand up: the battle wasn't over yet! Both Pokemon made desperate attempts to get up. Then, Bulbasaur stood up, and Misdreavus hovered upwards too.

However, then, Misdreavus collapsed. This time, she was really defeated. Bulbasaur was barely able to stand, but his willpower enabled him to do so.

The referee looked at both Pokemon. Then, he said "Misdreavus is defeated, Bulbasaur is the winner. Victory goes to the challenger, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"

"Yay, I won!" Ash shouted. Morty walked up to his opponent. "Ash, you did a great job, especially Noctowl impressed me. You deserve this Fog Badge!"

"Yay, I got a Fog Badge!" Ash shouted. Pikachu ran up to Ash and started celebrating and taking the glory like he always did, even though he didn't battle himself. "Pi Pikachu!"

"Well done, Ash!" Sabrina said. "You deserved to win."

"That was awesome, Ash!" Misty said, to compliment Ash. "And I have a surprise for you: when we walked through the city, to the Gym, I saw an Alto Mare-style restaurant in which you can have Pokemon battles and eat unlimited for up to six hours for just 10 Poke Dollars per person! So this evening, we can have dinner there, and I'll pay."

"Thank you so much, Misty! It'll be awesome," Ash replied. Then, Ash retreated Bulbasaur to his Poke Ball. "Thank you, champ! Have some rest."

"Now, shall we go to the lake just east outside of this city to have lunch and fish?" Misty asked.

"That's a good idea, it's very close to this Gym," Ash replied.

"I don't have time to eat with you two tonight, but I'll come along to the lake before I'm leaving on the plane to Kanto," Brock said.

After saying goodbye to Sabrina, Morty and Haunter, our heroes left the Gym, walked up east through a small street and ended up at a beautiful, clean, blue, big lake.

"Well, I took my rod, with my latest Misty lure, made one year ago. Are you two going to fish too?" Misty asked.

"No, we won't," Ash and Brock said.

"Okay. Well, have fun eating!" Misty said. Brock and Ash both took a sandwich and ate a big bite out of it. Misty did the same thing too, she wasn't catching anything...

"Ash, do you remember when we talked about love during the Catch-A-Seaking Contest?" Brock asked.

"Of course, why do you ask?" Ash replied.

"Ash, did you ever kiss a woman?" Brock responded.

"I've kissed Misty several times. She says I'm a great kisser, even though I don't see what's so special about my kisses." Ash replied.

"She must love you a lot," Brock said. "That alone is enough to make your kisses so great for her."

"I love her a lot too. I wish I would've realized it some years earlier..." Ash moaned. A few seconds later, he asked Brock whether he kissed many women or not.

"Yes, Ash, I've kissed different women. And I even went further a few times. But my most memorable kiss was the one I had with Lucy," Brock answered. "Have you ever kissed others than Misty?"

"Of course not!" Ash snapped.

"Why not?" Brock asked.

"Well, before I realized my feelings for Misty, I didn't care about kissing. And after realizing these, I didn't want to kiss others. However, I did get kisses from Melody and Bianca on my cheek," Ash replied.

"Why didn't you like those?" Brock asked.

"Well, I don't have feelings for them. The only one who should kiss me is Misty," Ash replied.

"Ash, if Melody would kiss me, I'd kiss her back and ask her on a date! However, Ash, you're as dense as hell, but sometimes I wish I would be as faithful as you," Brock said.

Then, a pink Pokemon appeared: it was Jigglypuff! The pink puffball started singing its song. Ash, Misty and Brock fell asleep. However, Togetic didn't, because Pikachu was protecting Togetic's ears, so she didn't hear the song. Pikachu fell asleep himselves, but Togetic stayed awake. Then, she used her Hyper Beam to send Jigglypuff flying: this time, Jigglypuff wasn't able to draw on our heroes's faces, because the singer was blasting off again!

Two hours later, Togetic was finally able to wake Misty up, who hurled her rod at the water again. This time, something was on the hook! With a lot of trouble, she reeled in the rod: a Tentacruel! The jellyfish was angry about being fished up, Togetic was barely able to evade a hit from Tentacruel's tentacles.

"Togetic, use your Shockwave!" Misty commanded. The electric attack immediately took care of Tentacruel, who was in the water, causing it to get an extra hard shock: water conducts electricity.

"Lure Ball, go!" Misty shouted, hurling the special Apricorn Poke Ball at the jellyfish. It stayed inside: Misty finally caught the Pokemon she always wanted! "Yes, I have... a Tentacruel!" Misty shouted. Her and her Togetic's loud cheering woke Ash and Brock up.

"Hey, sleepyheads, I caught a Tentacruel!" Misty said happily. Ash was very happy for her, while Brock congratulated her. Then, the Lure Ball was transported to Professor Oak's laboratory.

"Misty, Ash, I have to go now, I want to catch my plane without hurrying!" Brock said. "Bye, awesome friends!"

"Bye, Brock!" Ash and Misty shouted.

A few minutes later, Ash and Misty started talking about kissing. "Misty, Brock and I talked about kissing while you were fishing. I never kissed anyone else but you. And how is that with you?" Ash asked.

"I also never kissed anyone else but you, and I'd like to keep it that way. I love you and haven't been attracted to other guys in the six years I missed you," Misty replied. "I'm romantic, you're dense, but we're still discovering love together!"

"Yeah. And so far, I love it," Ash replied.

"Me too," Misty agreed. Then, she looked at the Ecruteak Church, which was visible from the lake. "We should go to the restaurant for your dinner!"

Then, Ash's stomach growled. "I think my stomach likes your idea!"

"Ash, don't you have anything more fancy to wear than your current outfit? That would be nice for this restaurant," Misty asked.

"Yeah, my mom told me this shirt would be fitting, so I took it with me," Ash replied, showing the fancy black shirt his mother gave him. "Shall I wear that?"

"Yes, that's good," Misty replied. Because no one was at the lake except for Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Togetic, Misty was able to put on her more fancy clothes: black high-heeled shoes, a long, black, elegant skirt, a red, strapless belly top and a black coat. "Ash, do I look good?" she asked.

"Of course! And how about me?" Ash asked.

"You too," Misty responded. Then, they walked to the restaurant. After walking through what looked like a mini-forest and passing the Ecruteak City Gym, Ash and Misty reached the restaurant. However, before entering the building, they used a video phone that was next to the restaurant.

"Hello, Ash and Misty!" Professor Oak said.

"Hello!" Ash said. "I won a Fog Badge today!"

"That's great," Oak replied. "I have to ask you something, by the way."

"What is it?" Ash asked.

"Well, the Pokemon here started fighting again. So I'd need Bulbasaur again. However, I think he should teach one of your other Pokemon to be the peace keeper. Your Leavanny really wants to take over, but Bulbasaur would need to teach him some things. Could you please send your Bulbasaur to me? When you arrive in Olivine City, you can get him back, then I think he must've taught Leavanny how to do the job," asked.

"Well, okay then," Ash said. "But Bulbasaur participated in an extremely harsh fight against Morty, so he'll need to rest before he can work," Ash warned the Professor.

"That's okay. Do you want to swap some more Pokemon?" Oak asked.

"Well, I haven't used Kingler, Muk and Tauros in quite some time. So how about those?" Ash suggested. "Then I'll send you Bulbasaur, Noctowl and Totodile."

"Okay, put the Poke Balls on the transporter one by one, and we'll swap them," Oak replied.

After the switch, Oak asked Misty whether she wanted to swap some Pokemon too. "You didn't do any switches aside from getting your Hoppip, so do you want to use some other Pokemon?"

"That's a good idea. I'll start rotating until the Whirl Cup, so I can see all of my Pokemon again before the Whirl Cup. Then please send me Goldeen, Staryu, Starmie, Politoed and my newly caught Tentacruel," Misty answered. "I'll send you Corsola, Marill, Dewgong, Psyduck and Hoppip."

"Okay. Could you please send me Togetic too? I'd like to do some research, and Togetic is a rare Pokemon," Oak asked.

"No!" Misty shouted. Togetic looked angrily at the man she saw on the video phone screen. "And it seems like Togetic also doesn't want that!"

"Okay, okay, sorry! Then let's do the other switches," Oak replied. Then, Misty also swapped Pokemon. Then, Ash and Misty said bye to Professor Oak and ended the phone call.

Ash's stomach roared again. "Ash, did you already decide what you're gonna order?" Misty asked.

"It's an all-you-can-eat restaurant! I'll take whatever I like and eat a crapload of food!" Ash responded. Then, Ash and Misty went in the beautiful, white building.

When they entered, Ash saw how the restaurant worked: there were many kinds of warm food, and he could take whatever he wanted for the upcoming six hours! Whenever he wanted for saw there were many kinds of food, and he could eat whatever he wanted! He picked a hamburger, three sandwiches, a plate full of French fries, a plate of spaghetti, three pizzas and some fishsticks, and decided to drink beer. Misty decided to eat a pizza and drink a can of coke. Then, Ash started eating. His eating style was quite inappropriate: he ate everything with his hands and ate with his mouth open. Misty was ashamed of it, but because she was used to it, she decided to not complain about it this time.

"And, do you like it here, Ash?" Misty asked.

"It's an awesome restaurant!" Ash replied, with a bite of pizza in his mouth.

Four hours later, Ash finally stopped eating: he was filled with junkfood and also was a little tipsy. Then, he had to go to the bathroom "Misty, I gotta take a pee. I'll be right back!"

"Okay, Ash," Misty said.

Then, a brown-haired guy walked up to Ash's and Misty's table. "It's so awesome to see you again, you still look attractive!"


	18. Chapter 18

After Ash's battle against Morty, the Ecruteak City Gym Leader, Misty took him to a restaurant to celebrate the victory. When Ash went to the bathroom there, a man walked to Misty's table and told her how attractive she is.

"Hello, Rudy, and thank you!" Misty replied. It was Rudy, the Trovita Island Gym Leader. Six years ago, he had a crush on Misty. Unfortunately for him, she rejected him and decided to stay with Ash.

"Misty, are you still with Ash?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," Misty replied.

"Where is he now?" Rudy asked.

"He's in the bathroom," Misty answered.

"Why don't you leave him and travel with me?" Rudy asked. "I left the Gym to my little sister, Mahri. She's old enough now. And I want to travel."

"Because I love Ash!" Misty replied.

"But aren't you even a little bit attracted to me?" he asked.

"No, and I never was! Your compliments six years ago flattered me, but I wasn't attracted to you at all. I saw you as someone who could be a good friend for me, but I wasn't romantically or sexually attracted to you at all," Misty answered.

"Don't you even see me as a little hot?" Rudy asked.

"No. Not six years ago and still not," Misty replied.

"Could you kiss me? Ash is in the bathroom now, so he won't notice. I won't get a relationship, but please at least kiss me..." Rudy asked.

"No, I never kissed others than Ash and I'd like to keep it that way," Misty answered. "I don't kiss outside of relationships."

"But now I'll be alone forever!" Rudy moaned.

"No, there are other girls out there," Misty replied. "Hey, I know! Let's set you up with someone in this restaurant! Maybe falling in love with someone else will help you getting over your crush on me. Let's go to the Battle Lounge of this restaurant," Misty suggested. "But we'll wait for Ash first."

Then, Ash came back. "Misty, what's he doing here?" he asked, afraid that the brown-haired guy was trying to steal his girlfriend away.

"Rudy tried to get a kiss from me, but he's not getting one," Misty said. "Now, I'll try showing him there are other girls out there than me, so I'll try setting him up with someone in the Battle Lounge."

"That's a great idea!" Ash replied. "And I'm looking forward to have a nice battle too."

After going to the basement of the restaurant, where the battle lounge was, Misty noticed that Marina, her rival, was there. "Rudy, what do you think of the blue-haired girl standing right over there? She's single, and I think you two would make a great couple."

"She looks gorgeous!" Rudy replied. "Is she a nice person as well?"

"Yes, she is," Misty replied.

"Then, what are we waiting for?" Rudy said. He ran at Marina, introduced himself and told Marina how beautiful she looked.

"Rudy, you don't look bad either. I'm Marina. It's nice to meet you," Marina replied to Rudy. Then, the two started talking about lots of things.

"Ash, I think it's love at first sight between those two!" Misty said happily.

"Misty, is this really necessary? I wanna battle now!" Ash complained.

"Ash, please... I have a nice idea for a battle. Give me five minutes and I'll arrange a nice tag battle for the two of us," Misty replied.

"Okay then..." Ash replied.

Five minutes later, Rudy walked to Misty. "Misty, thank you so much! It's love at first sight. Marina and I are both traveling, so we'll travel together now."

"You're welcome," Misty said. "Rudy, how about a tag battle between you and Marina against Ash and me?"

"That's a great idea!" Rudy answered.

"But don't complain if we beat you!" Marina added to that.

"There's no need for that, 'cause you two are going down," Ash said.

"Could we please go to the Water field? I want to use a Water Pokemon, and I suppose Misty will do that as well?" Marina suggested.

"Of course," Ash said.

"Sure, why not?" Rudy added to that.

"I indeed want to use a Water Pokemon, so it's a great idea!" Misty said. Then, the two couples walked to the battlefield.

Then, the trainers chose their Pokemon. Marina decided to go with Octillery, Rudy chose his Exeggutor, Ash sent out his Growlithe and Misty chose to give her newly caught Tentacruel a first battle.

"Exeggutor, let's start with your Egg Bomb on Growlithe!" Rudy shouted. Both Growlithe and Exeggutor were stuck on a platform, where they were unable to evade each other's attacks: both Pokemon were unable to swim. Growlithe got hurt, but wasn't defeated.

"Tentacruel, use your Blizzard!" Misty commanded. Exeggutor was frozen, while Octillery quickly evaded the attack by going underwater.

"Octillery, use your Sludge Bomb on Growlithe!" Marina commanded. Because Growlithe was unable to evade and also didn't know where Octillery was, he was about to get hit. However, Misty commanded her Tentacruel to take the attack.

"Thanks, Misty!" Ash said.

"You're welcome, Ash!" she replied.

"Growlithe, now use your Overheat on Exeggutor!" Ash commanded. Because Exeggutor was unable to avoid getting hit, the Grass Pokemon got defeated by Growlithe's strong attack.

"No, Exeggutor!" Rudy screamed. He called back his Pokemon.

"Octillery, use your Seed Bomb on Tentacruel!" Marina commanded.

"Growlithe, use your Flamethrower on the Seed Bomb to protect Tentacruel!" Ash shouted. Growlithe did what he had to do: he turned the seeds into ash.

"Tentacruel, let's end this with a Poison Sting!" Misty commanded. Tentacruel shot poisonous needles at the octopus Pokemon, who was defeated.

Then, Ash, Misty, Rudy and Marina called their Pokemon back. "Ash, Misty, you two work well together. Marina and I didn't, that's why you two won," Rudy said.

"Well, Ash and I have done many tag battles in the past, and also a few on this journey. You and Marina only know each other for about an hour. Just practice often and you two can become a tag battling couple too!" Misty said.

"Okay, we will!" Marina answered.

"Ash and I are going now, it's eleven o'clock in the evening, and we need to sleep," Misty said.

"Bye, Rudy and Marina!" Ash added to that.

"Well, Rudy and I are gonna battle, eat and dance the night away here!" Marina replied with a big smile on her face. "Misty, thank you so much for setting me up with Rudy!"

"You're welcome!" Misty replied.

Then, Ash and Misty walked to the Pokemon Center, which wasn't very far away from the restaurant. Misty carried Togetic in her arms, while Pikachu was sitting on Ash's left shoulder. "Ash, did you enjoy this evening?" Misty asked.

"Yes, it was awesome! The food was great, the beer was great and the battle against Rudy and Marina was great!" Ash answered.

"That's good to hear. I had a nice time too," Misty replied. "It was nice to get Rudy and Marina together, and the food was nice too. And it was nice to use Tentacruel for the first time."

"Yeah, and we worked well together," Ash added to that.

"We certainly had a good time," Misty concluded.

"Is there any reason it has to end now?" Ash asked, with a smile on his face.

"Yes, there is. I'm tired," Misty answered. Ash looked disappointed.

Then, Ash and Misty reached the Pokemon Center. They brushed their teeth, took off their clothes, put on their pyjamas and went to their two-person bed, after saying good night to Pikachu and Togetic.

The next morning, Ash and Misty brushed their teeth, put on their clothes and had breakfast. Then, they were on the road again, heading for Olivine City. It was a grassy road with a few trees here and there.

"Misty, I have a good idea: how about a little battle? It's been a long time since we battled!" Ash proposed.

"That's a good idea, Ashyboy," Misty replied. "Let's do it right here, right now, and both use one Pokemon."

"Okay!" Ash replied. "Shall we make it a Water battle by battling in the lake there? Then you can practice for the Whirl Cup."

"That's a nice idea, sweet!" Misty answered. "Go, Goldeen!" she shouted. A white and red fish came out of the Poke Ball.

"Kingler, go!" Ash shouted. The strong crab Pokemon jumped into the water.

"Kingler, let's start with a Crabhammer!" Ash commanded. Kingler raised one of his claws, and hit Goldeen very harshly.

"Goldeen, use your Horn Attack!" Misty shouted. Goldeen swam at Kingler, hitting him with her horn. However, it didn't seem to do any damage to Kingler.

"Kingler, let's finish this with another Crabhammer!" Ash commanded. Kingler hit the goldfish before she was able to evade the attack.

"Oh no, Goldeen!" Misty screamed, because her Pokemon seemed to be defeated.

Then, Goldeen was shoudred in a bright, white light. She grew, and when the light went away, Misty saw that her Goldeen evolved into a strong Seaking.

"That's awesome, Goldeen, you've evolved!" Misty said happily.

"Seaking," the fish replied.

"Oh, sorry, I mean Seaking," Misty said to her Pokemon. "Now, let's win this battle. Use your Megahorn!" Seaking swam at Kingler at high speed, charged into the crab and hit it harshly with its horn. Kingler looked severely damaged.

"Kingler, use your Bubble!" Ash commanded. However, the bubbles didn't seem to affect the goldfish.

"Seaking, let's end this with a Double-Edge!" Misty shouted. Seaking hurled itself at Kingler, who was defeated. Seaking was swimming around Kingler to celebrate her victory.

"That was awesome, Seaking!" Misty congratulated her Pokemon. Then, Togetic flew at Seaking. The two Pokemon started talking.

"Misty, that was awesome!" Ash said. "Congratulations with your Seaking!"

"Thank you, Ash," Misty answered. Then, when Seaking and Togetic finished their conversation, Misty called Seaking back in her Poke Ball. Ash did the same with Kingler.

"It was nice to battle you again, even though I've lost," Ash said to his girlfriend, when they walked onwards.

"I also enjoyed it. And don't feel bad about losing. If Seaking wouldn't have evolved, you would've won for sure," Misty replied.

"Are you going to use Seaking in the Whirl Cup?" Ash asked his girlfriend.

"I think so. Seaking is much stronger than before," Misty replied.

"Yeah, she indeed is," he answered.

"Ash, no one is looking at us on this deserted road, and I feel like I could use a nice kiss, so shall we?" she asked.

"Sure," he replied. Ash and Misty moved their heads toward each other, and kissed.

"Hey, Misty, you and Ash kissing is so cute!" Misty heard a voice from a few metres away. It was Sakura, who saw the kiss.

"Thank you, Sakura!" Misty said.

"Misty, shall we have a battle? I've caught some sweet new Pokemon since the last time we battled!" Sakura asked. "One against one, here," she proposed.

"Okay, we will," Misty answered. She took a Poke Ball from her bag, and sent out a star-shaped Pokemon. "Go, Starmie!" Misty shouted.

"Go, Manectric!" Sakura shouted, while sending out her blue and yellow Electric Pokemon.

"Oh no, I didn't expect her to have a Manectric!" Misty thought. "And Starmie hasn't battled in more than half a year..." She looked worried.

"Manectric, let's start with a Thunderbolt!" Sakura commanded. A strong beam of lightning was shot at Starmie.

"Starmie, Light Screen!" Misty commanded. A wall appeared right before Starmie, protecting the star-shaped Pokemon from the electric attack. "And now use Water Gun!" she said. Manectric jumped away quickly.

"Now, Manectric, hit her with your Thunder!" Sakura shouted. This time, Starmie got hit, and was immediately defeated.

"Congratulations, Sakura! You did well," Misty complimented her.

"Thank you!" Sakura said. "Why was your Starmie that weak?" she asked.

"I haven't used her for quite some time, she was with Professor Oak for half a year, and also never really was my main battling Pokemon," Misty explained.

"Okay, I understand," Sakura replied.

"How many badges do you have now?" Misty asked.

"I have four badges," Sakura answered.

"Ash has four badges as well now," Misty replied.

"Sorry, but I have to go now. In the Ecruteak movie theatre, there's a play in which my favourite actor plays the lead role, and I have a ticket," Sakura said. "I don't want to miss it. Bye, Misty and Ash!"

"Bye, Sakura, and have fun watching the movie," Misty replied.

Then, Ash and Misty walked onwards, carrying their signature Pokemon. However, when they just started walking again, they heard a limousine stopping.

"Hey, Ashyboy, I just saw you, and I feel like a battle again," Gary said.

"I'm up to it, but you're gonna lose!" Ash shouted.

"Okay, dream on if you want," Gary replied. "Go, Doduo!"

"Tauros, I choose you!" Ash shouted.

"Doduo, use your Fury Attack!" Gary commanded.

"Tauros, use your Take Down!" Ash shouted. Tauros and Doduo bumped into each other, and both hit each other with their strong attacks.

"Tauros, use your Tackle!" Ash commanded. Tauros hit Doduo again, the bird was too slow to evade the attack. Doduo collapsed!

"Doduo, come back," Gary said. "Go, Umbreon!"

"Tauros, Giga Impact!" Ash commanded.

"Umbreon, use your Counter!" Gary shouted. Tauros hurted himself and not his opponent, and was defeated!

"Tauros, you did a nice job. Come back and have some rest," Ash said. Then, he sent out his Muk.

"Umbreon, use your Tackle," Gary commanded. Umbreon charged into the sludgy Pokemon, but the opponent dind't get any damage.

"Muk, use your Body Slam!" Ash shouted. Muk covered Umbreon and lay on him for some time. When Muk went ended the attack on Umbreon, the Dark Pokemon was defeated.

"Umbreon, you did a good job. Now have some rest," Gary said to his trusty pal. Then, he sent out his Furret.

"Muk, use your Sludge Bomb!" Ash commanded. However, Furret was fast enough to evade the sticky goo.

"Furret, now use your Slam!" Gary said. Furret landed on Muk, who did feel pain this time.

"Muk, fight back with your Fire Blast!" Ash commanded. Fire was shot at the Normal Pokemon, who got hit. "Nice, Muk! That Furret's almost done for!" Ash said to his Poison Pokemon.

"Furret, let's finish this with your Giga Impact!" Gary shouted. Furret had trouble standing up, but after succeeding at that, he charged into the Poison Pokemon, who was defeated!

"No, Muk!" Ash screamed. He looked surprised, he never expected that Giga Impact. He put Muk back in its Poke Ball and sent out his last Pokemon.

"Growlithe, I choose you!" he shouted. "We can win this, Furret must be tired now," Ash thought.

"Furret, let's do this! Use your Water Pulse," Gary said. Water was shot at Growlithe , who was able to evade the blow just in time.

"Growlithe, use your Flamethrower!" Ash shouted. Gary commanded his Pokemon to avoid the attack, but Furret was too tired to do so and got hit. The Pokemon almost collapsed.

"Growlithe, now finish it with Flame Wheel!" Ash commanded. The dog bumped into the Normal Pokemon, who was done for.

"Oh no!" Gary shouted. He sent Furret back to its Poke Ball.

"Yay, we defeated Gary!" Ash shouted. He recalled Growlithe to his Poke Ball, after complimenting it for a great match.

"That was great, Ash!" Misty congratulated Ash. "Pi Pikachu," Pikachu added to that, aided by a happy Togetic. "Togetic!"

"Hey, Ashyboy, next time I'll beat you!" Gary shouted. Then, he hopped in his red limousine, being followed by his crying cheerleaders. He drove away quickly, feeling ashamed of his loss.

Then, Ash and Misty went onwards, following the road to Olivine City.

"Today was a good day for both of us," Misty said. "Goldeen evolved into Seaking, and you defeated Gary."

"You're right," Ash replied. "Do you feel bad about losing to Sakura?" he asked.

"No," Misty replied.

"Why not?" Ash asked.

"Losing a battle is never nice, but losing is part of life, and everyone should deal with it the right way," Misty replied.

"You're right," Ash answered.

Later that day, late in the evening, Ash and Misty were in trouble. "Ash, I'm out of bread, and I'm out of money. Do you have some money left?" Misty asked.

"No, I'm broke," Ash replied.

"Well, we'll have to find an one-time chore we can earn a lot of money with in a short amount of time," Misty responded.

"Yeah, but how?" Ash asked.

"Hey, look over there!" Misty said. She saw the signboard of a pub. "Help needed. The owner of this pub is away for one afternoon on 1 November, and there are no employees. If you're interested in filling in for one afternoon, come in. You'll be paid nicely."

"That's perfect, just one afternoon!" Ash shouted. "And tomorrow is 1 November, so we could do this and get ourselves out of money issues, at least until the Whirl Cup starts."

"And when I win the Whirl Cup, we'll be out of money issues for a very long time!" Misty replied.

Then, they walked into the pub and went to a chubby man behind the counter. "Hello, sir," Misty said. "Is this where we can get the job tomorrow?"

"Yes, it is," the man replied. "I'm rich, so I'll give you two a lot of money if one of you two stands behind the counter, and the other one of you can be a maid. I normally do that work together with my wife, and she and I will be visiting my parents tomorrow in the afternoon."

"Well, how much money can we make?" Ash asked.

"How about 10.000 Poke Dollars for both of you?" the pub owner asked.

"Wow!" Ash and Misty shouted.

"We've got a deal," the pub owner replied.

"Ash, I hope you can still fit in your maid outfit you once told me about!" Misty said to Ash, while winking with her right eye. Ash laughed. Then, he asked Pikachu to help him and Misty out tomorrow, Pikachu decided to do that.

"Togetic, do you also want to help tomorrow?" Misty asked her signature Pokemon. While nodding yes, the Pokemon replied "Togetic!"


	19. Chapter 19

The next day, Ash and Misty were working in the pub in the afternoon. While he didn't want to, Ash was wearing a maid suit: Misty wasn't willing to be the maid, and he knew he shouldn't anger her. While Ash was serving drinks to customers, Misty was standing behind the counter to take orders.

Late in the evening, a muscular boy with brown hair stood in front of the counter. "Good afternoon, sir. Could I take your order?" Misty asked.

"A kiss from you, and maybe go somewhat further after that," the bodybuilder answered.

"Sorry, but I only kiss when I'm in a relationship, and I have a boyfriend," Misty replied.

"Where is he?" the muscular boy asked.

"I'm over here," Ash said, while serving beer to a regular customer.

"Hottie, that's not a boyfriend. He looks more like a girlfriend to me," the muscular guy said to Misty.

"Stop your flirting right now!" Ash shouted. His face was all red.

"And, will you ditch that guy and get together with me and my sixpack?" the bodybuilder asked.

"No! Of course not!" Misty snapped. "Are you going to place a serious order now? If not, then leave this place!"

"Well, I'll request a Pokemon battle with you. Then I'll show you that my Pokemon are just as strong as me, maybe my battling skills will turn you on," the bodybuilder suggested.

"Fine, I'll battle. But don't expect me to get with you!" Misty answered. "How about a double battle?" she asked.

"Okay," the failing flirter said. "Machop and Hitmontop, I choose you two!"

"Staryu and Politoed, I choose you two!" Misty said. "Ash, can you take over my work while I'm battling?" she asked her boyfriend.

"Do I have to?" Ash asked.

"Yes!" Misty shouted. Ash walked up to the counter to take orders.

"Machop, Tackle on Staryu!" Misty's opponent commanded. However, the star-shaped Pokemon evaded the attack.

"Politoed and Staryu, use your Double Hydro Pump on Machop!" Misty commanded. Two strong rays of water came at Machop, who was instantly defeated by the majorly strong attacks.

"No, Machop!" the man screamed, while returning the defeated Pokemon to his Poke Ball. "Hitmontop, use your Rapid Spin on Politoed now!" he shouted. The handstand Pokemon started rotating very fast and went to Politoed, who got hit.

"Politoed, no!" Misty shouted. Politoed stood up. "Now, Staryu, use your Water Gun to slow him down!" Misty commanded. The star-shaped Pokemon did what its Trainer told it to do, causing Hitmontop to move less fast than before the attack.

"Hitmontop, now try to hit Staryu!" the bodybuilder shouted. Hitmontop hurled itself at Staryu, who hovered upwards and evaded the blow.

"Politoed, now he's slow, hit him with your Doubleslap!" Misty commanded. The frog Pokemon kept hitting the Fighting Pokemon until he was defeated.

"Yes, we won!" Misty said happily. Togetic, Pikachu, Ash and Politoed cheered. Then, the strange flirter ran out of the pub at high speed after calling his Hitmontop back into his Poke Ball. Misty also called her Pokemon back.

"That was awesome, Misty!" Ash complimented.

"Thanks," Misty said, giving Ash a high-five.

"Misty, can you help me behind the counter? It's too much work to be a maid and a barkeeper at the same time..."

"No, the afternoon is over, the pub will be closed now. So you can take off your maid suit!" Misty said.

"Finally! I just don't feel very comfortable wearing that dress," Ash replied.

Then, the pub owner entered the building. "And, how did it go?" he asked.

"Well, until half past five, it went well, but then, some bodybuilder came in who tried to steal me away from Ash," Misty responded.

"Oh, did he have brown hair and did he wear a white, sleeveless shirt?" the pub owner asked. Misty confirmed that he did.

"Then that's probably Bad Bill, he comes here often to see if there are girls for him to flirt with. He thinks he can impress girls with being muscular, but so far, no girl has been interested in him," he said to Misty.

"I can see why," Misty answered. "He's mean and smells bad."

"And what did you do when he arrived?" the owner asked.

"He challenged me to a battle, I defeated him, and he ran out of this pub crying," Misty said with a smile.

"You did a great job, I'm quite a good Pokemon trainer myself and I've never defeated him. And, what are you two going to do with the money I'm giving you?"

"We're going to the Whirl Islands, and we were out of money, so we took this job so we can buy food, and maybe a cheap ticket for a boat ride from Olivine City to the Whirl Islands if we're lucky enough to have some money left," Ash answered.

"Well, you two are lucky. I bought two cruise tickets for a fancy cruise with my wife to the Whirl Islands with my wife, as a surprise for her birthday, but she doesn't want to go. You two can have them!" the pub owner offered.

"Really?" Ash asked.

"Yes, you two can have them," the owner answered.

"Thank you so much, sir!" Misty said. "Is there anything we can do in return for you?"

"No, you two did a great job and you even scared Bad Bill away," the owner replied. "You two can also have dinner with me and spend the night at my house, which is just two minutes walking from here."

"Thank you so much!" Ash replied.

The next day, Ash and Misty were on the road again. Then, Ash saw a familiar face: it was his old rival from Sinnoh, Paul!

"Ash, you look surprised. Who is that guy?" Misty asked.

Then, Paul interfered. "Paul is the name, Ash and I were rivals in Sinnoh six years ago."

"I'm Misty, Ash's girlfriend," Misty said.

"Ash has a girlfriend?" Paul thought. "I never had one... Will I ever find love?"

"What are you doing here?" Ash asked his old rival.

"I'm training for the Johto League," Paul replied.

"Maybe you two should battle!" Misty suggested.

"That's a great idea, Misty," Ash said. "Paul, are you up for a little battle, three vs. three?"

"Okay, if you want to be defeated that badly, be my guest," Paul replied. "Go, Electivire!"

"Kingler, I choose you!" Ash said, after hurling his Poke Ball.

"That's a stupid choice," his rival said. "And your Kingler doesn't look particulary strong."

"You'll think different after this battle," he answered.

"Electivire, let's start off with a Thunderbolt!" Paul shouted. The slow crab Pokemon got hit by a very strong attack right from the start!

"Kingler, no! Can you go on?" Ash asked. Kingler stood up, but was in a world of hurt.

"Electivire, this is easy! Let's finish this one with another Thunderbolt!" Paul commanded.

"Kingler, try to evade and then use Water Pulse!" Ash commanded. Kingler barely avoided the attack, and then, the water of the Water Pulse touched Electivire's body. The Electric Pokemon was under electricity from using Thunderbolt twice. Water conducts electricity, so the Water Pulse caused Electivire a lot of pain. The Electric Pokemon collapsed, Kingler was the winner!

"Well done, Ash and Kingler!" Misty shouted.

"That was awesome, Kingler!" Ash shouted.

"Electivire, come back," Paul said. "Go, Froslass!"

"Kingler, you can do it! I believe in you!" Ash shouted to his exhausted Pokemon.

"Froslass, use your Shadow Ball!" Paul shouted. The black blob hit Kingler, who was defeated!

"Kingler, you did an awesome job. Come back and have some rest," Ash said gently. "Pikachu, go!" The electric mouse came forward. Togetic wished him luck with a kiss on the cheek.

"Froslass, use your Ice Beam!" Paul commanded. A cold beam was shot at Pikachu, who ended up in a big block of ice.

"Pikachu, no!" Ash shouted.

"Face it, Ash! Pikachu lost!"

"Oh, what can I do..." Ash thought. Then, he showed Paul a big grin. "I got it!" he said. "Pikachu, use your Iron Tail to break the ice!" Pikachu moved its tail up and down in the ice, slowly breaking all of it.

"What?" Paul shouted.

"Pikachu, that was great!" Ash complimented his first Pokemon.

"Froslass, we can't beat him with Ice attacks, but a Shadow Ball can take care of this," Paul said. A black blob was shot at Pikachu, who got hit. However, he immediately stood up.

"Pikachu, hit her with a Volt Tackle!" Ash commanded. Pikachu jumped at Frosslas and gave her a shocking tackle. The Ice Pokemon was dizzy.

"Now, finish it with an Iron Tail!" Ash shouted. Pikachu jumped in the air and gave his opponent the final blow. Togetic ran at Pikachu to kiss him. Pikachu happily accepted that kiss.

"Froslass, come back," Paul said. "Ash, are that Togetic and your Pikachu a couple?"

"Pikachu, you can tell him," Ash said.

"Pika Pika!" the Pokemon answered, nodding "yes."

"Pikachu, that's great! You're finally open about this!" Ash complimented.

"Ash is better than I thought. He has a sweet girlfriend, treats his Pokemon well and one of his Pokemon is even a couple with one of his girlfriend. And what do I have? I never had a girlfriend and I treat my Pokemon like crap..." Paul thought.

"What's the matter, Paul? Why don't you choose a Pokemon to battle?" Ash asked.

"Okay, I will... Drapion, go..." Paul muttered.

"Pikachu, use your Volt Tackle again!" Ash commanded. The Electric Pokemon gave Drapion a harsh hit, but collapsed himself. Togetic looked shocked. Using Volt Tackle against Froslass and getting out of the ice before that was too much for Pikachu. Ash took Pikachu in his arms and put him next to Togetic. "Pikachu, that was awesome," he said.

"Bayleef, win this battle for yourself, for me and for Pikachu and Togetic!" Ash shouted, while sending Bayleef out of her Poke Ball.

"Bay Bay!" the Grass Pokemon answered.

"Drapion, we can win this. Use your X-Scissor!" Paul commanded.

"Bayleef, jump and use your Body Slam!" Ash said to his pal. The Grass Pokemon jumped with her Vine Whip, followed by hurling herself at Drapion, who was in a lot of pain.

"Drapion, don't let that Grass Pokemon beat you. Use your Sludge Bomb!" Paul shouted.

"Bayleef, close its mouth with your Vine Whip!" Ash commanded. The Grass Pokemon closed Drapions mouth: the sludge couldn't get out!

Thirty seconds later, Ash commanded Bayleef to smack Drapion up and down with Vine Whip, and then hurl it into the air. Bayleef did that: Drapion got some harsh blows, and when it was hurled into the air, it puked out some nasty sludge, but Bayleef wasn't hit.

"Now, Bayleef, finish it with Razor Leaf!" Ash shouted. Drapion was hit and was done for!

"Bayleef, that was awesome!" Ash shouted. Then, Bayleef gave Ash a hug before getting called back into her Poke Ball.

"Drapion, come back. You were great," Paul said to his defeated Pokemon.

Then, he walked up to Ash and said "Next time I'll beat you. Don't be too proud of your fluke win." Then, he walked away.

"What a strange guy..." Misty said to Ash.

"I agree, and he treats his Pokemon like crap," Ash replied while he and Misty walked onwards. They almost reached Olivine City.

"He didn't even tell his Pokemon they did well, except for Drapion at the end," she said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, when he recalled Drapion, he was friendlier than when he recalled his other Pokemon. Maybe it's because Togetic kissed Pikachu. After that, he became more humble and friendly until he got defeated. It's like he had a change of heart," she explained.

"No, that can't be. Paul can't change," he responded.

Then, Ash and Misty reached Olivine City. They went to the Pokemon Center, and called Professor Oak to swap some Pokemon. After greeting each other, Misty sent Oak her Seaking, Starmie, Staryu and Politoed to Professor Oak and got her Gyarados, Luvdisc, Hoppip and Horsea.

Ash also swapped some Pokemon: he sent Kingler, Muk and Tauros to Professor Oak, and took Bulbasaur and Donphan with him. He didn't know who else to take with him, so he decided to leave one team spot open.

"Ash, your Bulbasaur taught Leavanny how to be a perfect peace keeper. Bulbasaur is sent to you now, and the Pokemon aren't fighting! And that while Bulbasaur was with me in the lab all day long," Professor Oak said to Ash.

"That's great!" Ash replied.

"Now you can always take either Bulbasaur or Leavanny with you," Oak responded.

"Thanks for the Pokemon replacing," Misty said.

"Bye!" Oak said. "And Ash, good luck with your Gym Battle against Jasmine! Tell her I said hi!"

"I will," Ash answered. "Bye!"

"Ash, what Pokemon are you gonna use against Jasmine?" Misty asked, referring to the battle against the Gym Leader of Olivine City.

"Pikachu and Donphan, but I don't know who to put in the third spot..." Ash said.

"Well, you still have one night to think about it," Misty replied. "You'll come up with the right choice."

However, the next morning, Ash still didn't make a decision. And he and Misty agreed to go to the Gym in one hour! Then, they took a walk on the beach. Because the weather was very cold, Misty wore her long, red winter jacket and a scarf with a checkerboard pattern. Ash wore his green winter jacket and a white snow hat. And they needed it: it started snowing!

"Wow, the weather forecast didn't predict this yesterday!" Ash said.

"Ash, now do you see why we both needed to go clothe shopping back in Goldenrod City?" Misty asked.

"Yes..." Ash replied, knowing Misty wouldn't accept a "no." He clearly remembered the horror: he had to wait in a clothes store where Misty was trying on clothes for quite a long time.

"Good that you understand," Misty responded.

"Misty, you gotta admit that my maid dress fits me way better than my current clothes," Ash replied with a big smile. "I should've put it on, I could seduce whatever girl I want to seduce when wearing that thing, and then reject them and tell them they'll never be as awesome as you."

"It's not the most kind thing to do, but it's kinda funny," she answered. Then, she and Ash bursted out in laughing. "Do you know what your third choice against Jasmine will be?" she asked.

"No... I'll probably end up choosing Bulbasaur, Bayleef or Growlithe, depending on the situation. But I'd rather know who to choose at this moment, so I could think about possible tactics," he replied.

"I understand," she replied. "What Pokemon will you use first?"

"Donphan, I suppose," he answered. "But it depends on what Jasmine chooses, if she chooses her Pokemon first."

"Donphan is a smart choice, but remember that he hasn't battled for a very long time. Don't expect too much from him," she said.

"You're right," he replied.

Then, they saw a big group of big, blue Pokemon arriving at the beach from a distance.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu shouted, while waving to one of the Pokemon.

"Toge Togetic!" Togetic added to that. She happily flew up and down, it was just like she and Pikachu just saw an old friend again after not seeing that person for years.

"What's up, Pikachu?" Ash asked, while the Pokemon came closer and closer to the shore.

Then, Misty knew what kind of Pokemon were swimming to the shore of Olivine.


	20. Chapter 20

The blue Pokemon came closer and closer. Then, Ash saw it: it was a herd of Lapras, led by the Lapras he used to own! "Llll!" Ash's Lapras squealed happily.

"Lapras!" Ash shouted, running at Lapras to hug his head. "It's so nice to see you again. Are you doing well?" Lapras nodded.

Then, Ash suddenly got an idea. "Lapras, I have a favour to ask you. Would you like to participate in a Gym Battle?" he asked. The Pokemon nodded and hugged Ash again.

"I think that's a yes!" Misty said happily.

"Okay, Lapras, get in this Poke Ball!" Ash said, when Lapras explained what he was going to do with the other herd members. He'd be back with his herd in 12 hours from now.

"That's great!" Misty said, while she and Ash were walking to the Gym. "And he can do well against Jasmine's Steelix," she added to that.

"Indeed. This is awesome!" Ash replied. Then, they arrived at the Olivine City Gym. Ash knocked on the door, which was opened by Jasmine.

"Hey, it's you guys, hello!" Jasmine said.

"Hi Jasmine," Misty replied.

"I'm ready to take you on!" Ash added to that.

"We'll see about that," Jasmine replied.

"Jasmine, Gary told me he dumped you after a small fight. What happened?" Misty asked.

"Well, he didn't think I'm attractive enough and prefers his cheerleaders over me..." Jasmine moaned. "But I'm glad he dumped me instead of staying with me while not having feelings for me, I'd rather be single than in a relationship with a guy who doesn't really want me," Jasmine answered.

"To me, it seemed like he just used you as eye candy, but apparently, he doesn't think you're good enough for that anymore," Misty said. "You deserve better than him."

"Indeed," Jasmine agreed. "I'm going to enjoy being single, and someday, I'll run into the right guy for me."

"I agree," Misty replied. "You and Gary just didn't match."

Then, Ash started to look more and more annoyed. "Misty, Jasmine, can you two please stop your girl talking? I wanna battle now! I want a Mineral Badge!" he shouted.

"Ash, you are so immature!" Misty shouted. Then, she raised her right fist and hit Ash on his head. It wasn't the first time in his life he had to suffer from this rock-hard right fist.

"Misty, was that really necessary?" Jasmine asked, while looking surprised.

"Yes! I'm so sick of this! He's so unromantic and immature, all he cares about is Pokemon battling!" Misty snapped.

"Well, he is who he is, do you really need to hit him for that?" Jasmine asked.

"Sorry, I couldn't control myself anymore, it's just so annoying do deal with this kind of immaturity and denseness!" Misty replied.

"Misty, you clearly have an anger problem," Jasmine said. Normally when someone mentioned this, Misty got mad and denied her bad temper. However, this time, she actually seriously thought about Jasmine said, knowing that the Gym Leader was right.

"Oh, so it took you that long to figure that out..." Ash complained, who just stood up after being hit.

"Jasmine, you're right..." Misty muttered.

"Can we please battle now, Jasmine?" Ash asked.

"Okay, sure!" Jasmine said. "I'm ready!" Then, she and Ash walked to the battlefield. Misty went to the right side of the battlefield to watch, together with Togetic. She sent out Hoppip, in order to cheer. The Grass Pokemon gave Misty a big hug.

"Hoppip! Hoppip!" he shouted.

"And, how was it at Oak's lab? Did you like it there?" Misty asked. Hoppip shaked his head to imply "no!" The Grass Pokemon missed Misty a lot, and is happy to be with his beloved trainer again.

"I understand. You missed me, and I missed you too!" Misty said.

"He probably missed your rock-hard right fist..." Ash said cynically.

"But he didn't miss your immature behaviour!" Misty snapped.

"And your whining about it!" Ash added to that.

"Could you two please save the arguing for later so we can get this battle over with?" Jasmine asked.

"You're right," Ash said. "Let's battle!"

"This is a three on three Pokemon battle. There is no time limit. The first person to beat three Pokemon of his or her opponent is the winner," a referee announced.

"Donphan, I choose you!" A strong elephant-like Pokemon appeared from Ash's Poke Ball and landed on the big, dry battlefield covered with sand.

"Steelix, I choose you!" Jasmine shouted, while the iron snake entered the battlefield.

"Donphan, use your Rollout!" Ash commanded. The Ground Pokemon curled himself up in order to roll and charged into Steelix. However, the rock-hard Steel Pokemon didn't feel any pain...

"Steelix, Iron Tail!" Jasmine shouted. Donphan got smashed by Steelix's strong tail. However, Donphan could still go on.

"Donphan, Giga Impact!" Ash shouted. Donphan charged into Steelix, who seemed to be in pain after the strong attack. "Steelix, can you go on?" Jasmine asked. The iron snake nodded, implying that it was able to continue the battle.

"Steelix, use your Slam!" the Olivine City Gym Leader shouted. However, Donphan quickly rolled away, evading the attack.

"Donphan, use your Giga Impact again!" Ash commanded. Donphan rolled to Steelix.

"We've got him!" Jasmine thought. "Steelix, use your Slam!" Steelix's tail was thrown at Donphan, who got a harsh blow. He collapsed!

"Donphan is defeated. Steelix is the winner," the referee stated.

"Donphan, you did well. Have some rest!" Ash said.

"Oh no..." Hoppip thought. Togetic looked worried as well.

"Lapras, I choose you!" Ash commanded. He hurled his Poke Ball, and his old friend entered the battlefield. "You haven't battled in a long time, but I'm counting on you, buddy!" he said.

"Llll!" Lapras responded.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Lapras, let's start with a Water Gun!" Ash commanded. Water from Lapras's mouth was shot at Steelix.

"Steelix, use Sandstorm to defend yourself!" Jasmine commanded. Steelix started spinning, using the sand whipped up by the attack to protect itself. However, the big portion of sand and the water became mud, trapping Steelix! The Steel Pokemon stood on its tail, being unable to move.

"Lapras, let's finish this with a Hydro Pump!" Ash commanded. Powerful water was shot at Steelix, who was unable to avoid the attack. Then, it fell down on the ground.

"Steelix is unable to battle. Lapras is the winner!" the referee said.

"Steelix, you did well. Come back!" Jasmine said. Then, she threw a Poke Ball. "Magnezone, I choose you!"

"She's got a type advantage, but you can beat her!" Misty shouted at Ash.

"Misty, are you cheering for me?" Ash asked. "I thought you hate me now..."

"Of course not, sweetie! I love you! Of course we had an argument, but we have so many arguments! I'm used to arguing with you. And sure, we fight a lot, but our love is stronger than that!" Misty responded. "Did you already forgive me for hitting you?"

"Yes, I did," Ash answered. "After all, I'm used to it. And hey, I'd say we're even now."

"You're right," Misty answered.

"Ash, can you just please stop this so we can battle?" Jasmine asked.

"Look, Misty! She's just as impatient as me!" Ash noticed.

"No, she's just sick of listening to our stupid arguments..." Misty said.

"I understand her..." he replied. "Misty, will you cheer for Lapras and me? You were so silent so far during this battle."

"Of course! And Togetic and Hoppip will join me!" she replied.

"Will you dress up in a cheerleader suit to look like a Gary fangirl?" he asked with a big smile.

"No," she replied, wiping the smile of Ash's face.

Then, the focus went back on the Gym Battle. "Lapras, let's start with Dragonbreath!" he commanded. A paralyzing ray was aimed at Magnezone, who evaded by hovering up a little.

"Magnezone, use your Thunder!" Jasmine commanded. Lapras was hit by a strong, electric bolt.

"Lapras, Blizzard!" Ash commanded. A storm of snow was blowing towards the Electric Pokemon, who was hit, but didn't seem damaged severely.

Then, Jasmine commanded Magnezone to use Zap Cannon. A strong ball of electricity was shot at Lapras, who was unable to evade, because the battlefield didn't have water.

"Oh no!" Misty said. "Poor Lapras, that must hurt..."

"Hoppip..." her Grass Pokemon muttered.

"Lapras, are you able to go on?" Ash asked.

Lapras raised his head. "Llll!" he said, implying that he was able to continue.

"Great, Lapras!" Ash said.

"Well, Ash, Lapras is very persistent, but only persistence isn't enough to beat me!" Jasmine reacted. "Magnezone, another Zap Cannon!" she commanded. Lapras was hit again, but still wasn't defeated.

"Lapras, use your Ice Beam and put all your power in it!" Ash shouted. Lapras raised his head, shot ice at Magnezone at a higher power than he ever did. Magnezone wasn't frozen, but the sheer power of the attack defeated the Pokemon!

"Magnezone is no longer able to battle. Lapras is the winner!" the referee announced.

"Yeah!" Ash shouted.

"Well done, Lapras!" Misty added to that. Hoppip and Togetic were doing a happy dance.

"Magnezone, you were great. Have some rest," Jasmine said softly. "Ash, you're not gonna win this," she stated clearly. "Bronzong, I choose you!" she shouted. A strong, blue Pokemon came out of the Poke Ball.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Lapras, Hydro Pump!" Ash commanded. Bronzong was hit by a strong portion of water at high pressure, and was in pain.

"Bronzong, use your Flash Cannon!" Jasmine shouted. A big ball of light was shot at Lapras, who collapsed. This time, Lapras didn't get up.

"Lapras has been defeated. Bronzong is the winner!" the referee said.

"Lapras, that was awesome, have some rest," Ash said. Then, he sent Pikachu on the battlefield, and the referee restarted the battle.

"Pikachu, Bronzong is wet. Thunder!" Ash shouted. Pikachu gave Bronzong a shock, which resulted in a blow: water conducts electricity. Then, the Steel Pokemon fell down on the field, defeated.

"Bronzong is defeated, Pikachu is the winner. The winner of this battle is the challenger, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"

"Yay, I won!" Ash shouted. "Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu added to that, celebrating the victory with Ash. Then, they jumped happily, doing a victory dance

"Well done, Ash!" Misty said.

"Thank you, Misty!"

"However, Lapras did pretty much everything, so he deserves all the credits, not you," she added to that.

"Um... Here's your badge..." Jasmine muttered, while giving a Mineral Badge to the trainer who just defeated her.

"Yay!" Ash shouted. "I've got... a Mineral Badge!"

"Pi Pikachu!" the yellow mouse Pokemon added to that, jumping from joy.

"Ash, is this really fair?" Jasmine asked. "Your Lapras did everything, then Pikachu comes in, does one attack and steals all the glory, and then gets to celebrate the victory with you. I think your Donphan and Lapras deserve this more than Pikachu. Donphan wore down my Steelix, and Lapras defeated my other two Pokemon and enabled Pikachu to beat Bronzong."

"Um... You're right... Well, Pikachu is used to celebrate all my victories, whether he did anything during a battle or not. It's a tradition!" Ash explained.

"Well, I don't think it's fair towards your other Pokemon," Jasmine said.

"I don't think they mind. And Misty and I have to go now," Ash said. "Bye!"

"Wait, Ash, Misty, there's something I want to say to you two before you two leave this Gym!" Jasmine shouted.

"What is it?" Misty asked, while she and Ash stood still to listen to the Olivine City Gym Leader.

"Gosh," Jasmine said. "When I met you two six years ago, you two seemed nice. But now, you are crazy! Ash, you're a little kid and you'll never grow up. And Misty, seriously, go to a psychiatrist with your anger problem!" she snapped. Then she changed her tone and said "Bye!" in a more friendly way.

But Ash and Misty already left the building. The sky was getting darker, it was early in the evening. They quickly walked to the Pokemon Center, which was close to the Gym. They came across the beach, but before releasing Lapras again, Ash wanted to make sure the Water Pokemon was healthy after the harsh battle against Jamsine.

Then, they entered the Pokemon Center. They saw a pink-haired nurse standing behind the counter. "Good evening!" she said. "Can I be of any service?" she asked.

"Yes," Ash replied. "Could you please take a look at my Lapras? He just single-handedly defeated Jasmine, and I want to make sure he's healthy."

"Of course!" Nurse Joy replied. Ash handed over Lapras's Poke Ball. "In an hour, Chansey and I will be finished. Would you and your girlfriend like to have dinner here?" she asked.

"Sure, thank you!" Misty answered, while taking some Poke Dollars from her wallet.

One hour later, Ash and Misty finished their dinner and heard good news from Nurse Joy: Lapras was perfectly healthy, and had enough rest in his Poke Ball to go back in the wild again healthy and safely.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy!" Ash said.

"Chansey Chansey!" the pink Pokemon next to the nurse complained.

"And thank you, Chansey!" Misty said, flattering the Pokemon with the egg.

Chansey smiled happily. "Chansey Chansey!"

Then, Ash and Misty walked out of the Pokemon Center, to bring Lapras back to his herd. They walked down the cold beach, where the wind was very strong.

"Hey, look! It's the Lapras herd!" Ash said with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, I see them now too," Misty replied.

Then, Ash walked to the shore, and released Lapras from his Poke Ball. "Lllll!" the Water Pokemon squealed.

"Lapras, it was great battling with you again, and you amazed me. But it's time to go to your herd again," Ash said, having immense trouble to prevent tears from flowing.

"Llll," Lapras replied, while getting a hug from his mother, a big and strong-looking Lapras.

"I'll miss you, it was great to see you again. I hope we'll ever meet again..." Ash muttered, while giving Lapras a last hug. Tears were flowing from his eyes. Misty, Pikachu and Togetic were crying too.

Then, Lapras shredded some tears as well. He swam away with his herd, in the direction of Red Rock Isle, the island where Ash and Misty were going as well. There, the Whirl Cup would be held. Ash and Misty would take the cruise ship to that island tomorrow.

Back at the Pokemon Center, Ash called Professor Oak, told him about the battle with Jasmine, about Lapras and sent Donphan back to the Professor. "Professor, Donphan was defeated in the battle, so please give him some rest," he said.

Then, he asked the Professor to send him his Heracross and his Snorlax. He hasn't used these two Pokemon in quite some time, and decided to take them with them to the Whirl Islands. He said goodbye to Professor Oak.

"Misty, at what time will the cruise ship to the Whirl Islands set sail?" Ash asked.

"At two o'clock in the afternoon," Misty replied. "So you can sleep without having to get up early."

"Yay!" he shouted. He was happy to hear that.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu added to that.

Then, Ash and Misty went to bed in the Pokemon Center. Just before falling asleep, they wished each other good night, and not just each other: they didn't forget Pikachu and Togetic.


	21. Chapter 21

Early on a cold winter afternoon, Ash and Misty went on the cruise ship. After checking in, they arrived at the main deck.

"Hey, this is just like the SS. Anne, the cruise ship we were on six years ago!" Ash said.

"That's true," Misty replied. "We almost died there..."

"Yeah, this boat is modelled after the sunken SS. Anne," a sailor who stood just behind Ash and Misty said.

"That's easy to see," Ash replied.

Then, Ash and Misty walked on. They saw a big, red area with a lot of people. Most of them were probably Pokemon Trainers.

"Misty, how's the weather on Red Rock Isle?" Ash asked.

"Don't you remember?" Misty asked. "There's a tropical climate there!"

"Hey, I see you two are going to Red Rock Isle!" a salesman wearing a white shirt noted. "Are you two participating in the Whirl Cup?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," Misty answered.

"Then I have an offer you can't refuse!" the salesman stated, with a big smile on his face.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Well, when you participate in the Whirl Cup, you'll need strong Water Pokemon! So, you can buy a Magikarp from me! Then, you can breed it and sell Magikarp, while keeping one for yourselves to train. Then, you have an infinite source of money and a strong Magikarp!" he proposed.

"I'm not falling for that. I know you, you're the swindler we know!" Misty shouted.

"Please, be quiet. Otherwise everyone can hear you, then I won't get any customers..." he whispered.

"That's what you deserve!" Misty snapped.

Then, she and Ash left the salesman. She saw something that shocked her: a blonde-haired girl wearing a pink coat. She knew that girl: it was her sister Daisy! What was she doing here? Did she come to look for Misty to force her to go back to the Cerulean Gym?

"Ash..." Misty said, looking terrified.

"Yes, what is it?" he asked.

"I see Daisy... she replied.

"Where?" he asked.

"Over there!" she responded.

"What is she doing here?" he asked.

"I don't know, but I don't want her to see us..." Misty said.

However, she was too late. Ash saw a black-haired man wearing a green shirt, who was standing next to Daisy. It was his old friend Tracey, and Ash wanted to talk to him. Now Daisy was going to know Misty was there! And to make matters worse, Ash ran at Tracey and Daisy while still holding hands with Misty, pulling her with him!

"Hey, Tracey, long time no see!" Ash said to his old friend.

"Hello Ash, it's so nice to see you!" Tracey responded.

"Hey Ash!" Daisy said.

"Hi Daisy!" Ash replied.

"Ash, your girlfriend isn't as beautiful as Tracey's!" Daisy joked.

"Misty is way more beautiful than you!" Ash snapped at Daisy, in defense of his girlfriend.

"Misty, there's something I need to do now," Daisy said. Misty looked terrified, a tear was visible in one of her eyes.

"I know, you're here to take me back to the Gym, because you, Lily and Violet are too f*cking lazy to look for a replacement for me!" Misty shouted. Tears were flowing from her eyes.

"That's not it at all," Daisy replied. "I'm not going to force you to go back."

"You're not?" Misty asked.

"No!" Daisy said. "Tracey and I are here because Ash called us, so we could support you during the Whirl Cup!"

"Surprise!" Ash shouted. "And they're paying for our hotel costs during our stay on Red Rock Isle as well, because Daisy is super rich from her work as an actress in some dumb movie."

"Really? And what will happen to the Gym now?" Misty asked.

"Well, when you escaped, I felt sorry about forcing you to be a Gym Leader for six years, against your will. So instead of going after you to force you to come back, we finally made the effort to find a permanent replacement. We knew you want to travel, and Lily, Violet and I are too lazy to become Gym Leaders," Daisy answered.

"Thank you!" Misty replied. "I've been worrying about the Gym getting closed and you giving away Cascade Badges for free, this is a huge relief! It takes away my feeling of guilt. Who is the replacement?" she asked.

"Dorian," Daisy replied.

"He seems like a good choice, he has strong Water Pokemon, and he's an experienced battler. He also dreamt of having an official Gym someday, so I'm sure he's motivated!" Misty answered.

"Misty, I think I need to apologise for what Lily, Violet and I have done to you in the past six years. We promised you that you could stop being a Gym Leader again when we came back from our holiday, but because of our laziness, we basically forced you to stay with our irresponsible behaviour. Can you forgive us?" Daisy asked.

"Sorry, but forgiving you for this is very hard. For six years, I wasn't able to work on my dreams. I couldn't learn much more at the Gym. The Pokemon there were already mine, except for a few. And battling is something I can also do on a journey, but then even more often," Misty replied.

Then, her tone got more aggressive. "And I've missed Ash for six years, so you f*cked up my love life for six years! The few times when he was in Pallet Town, Professor Oak called me and asked me to come. But all these times, when I asked you if I could visit Ash, you said I had to clean the Gym! And then you ask me to forgive you for all of that? Well, I won't!" she snapped. "You ruined my dreams and my love life for six years!" She started crying again, while her face was red from anger.

"I understand," Daisy replied. "It's just... You're my sister, and I love you, despite our arguments. That's why I hoped we could put those aside..."

"Well, this is not just an argument! You've ruined a part of my life!" Misty snapped. Tear

"Misty, do you hate me now?" Daisy asked.

"Um... Well... I don't know..." Misty replied. "Of course you, Lily and Violet are who you are, I can't change that and you three can't help it. But that can't take away all the pain I've been through because of you!" she snapped.

"Misty, shall we go to the battlefield?" Tracey asked.

"For what?" Misty asked.

"Maybe you can blow some steam off, in a battle against me!" he suggested.

"Well, I'd much rather beat the crap out of Daisy right now, but okay then," she said. Then, they walked to the battlefield, together with Ash and Daisy. They saw a small field, with a small body of water, so Trainers could also use Water Pokemon.

"Venomoth, I choose you!" Tracey shouted. He hurled a Poke Ball from his right hand, releasing a purple moth-like Pokemon from it.

"Horsea, I choose you!" Misty shouted. The blue Pokemon came out of his Poke Ball. Misty hasn't used him for a long time, she caught him back in Kanto, six years ago.

"Venomoth, let's start with a Psybeam!" Tracey commanded. A colourful beam was shot at the Water Pokemon.

"Horsea, dive underwater and use your Water Gun!" Misty commanded. The cute Pokemon went underwater, avoiding the multi-coloured ray, and then, water came out of his mouth, hitting Venomoth.

"Venomoth, use your Solarbeam!" Tracey commanded. The moth started charging.

"Horsea, use your Smokescreen!" Misty commanded. Venomoth was surrounded by smoke.

"Venomoth, use your Whirlwind to blow away the smoke while still charging!" Tracey shouted. The purple Pokemon did that, making the smoke disappear.

"Horsea, Bubble!" Misty commanded. The bubbles hit Venomoth, but barely did anything.

"Venomoth, now!" Tracey said. Venomoth released a strong beam of energy from his mouth, severely hitting Horsea. The Water Pokemon lay in the water, and was done for. Misty looked worried, while Daisy was proud of her boyfriend.

Then, Horsea started glowing. His body was shrouded in white light. He grew, and the white light stopped. Now, the Pokemon had sharp points on his body. "That's awesome!" Ash said. "Your Horsea evolved into a Seadra!"

"Yay, Seadra!" Misty cheered.

"Evolved or not, Venomoth and I will win!" Tracey said.

"I don't think so!" Misty replied. "Using Solarbeam takes quite some energy, and I can see that your Venomoth is very tired now."

"Dra!" Seadra shouted.

"Venomoth, use your Silver Wind!" Tracey shouted. A beautiful attack hit Seadra, who sustained.

"Seadra, let's finish this now. Bubblebeam!" Misty commanded. A strong ray of bubbles hit Venomoth, who fell down on the battlefield. He was defeated.

"Well done, Misty!" Ash said.

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu added to that.

"Toge Togetic!" Togetic cheered, complimenting Misty.

"Don't compliment me, compliment Seadra!" Misty replied.

"Misty, Horsea evolved into Seadra because you raised it well," Tracey responded. "It's your hard work too."

"Um... Thanks," Misty said. She and Tracey returned their battlers to their Poke Ball.

Then, Ash saw his rival on the ship. "Hey, Gary, where are you traveling to?" he asked to the boy who was surrounded by cheerleaders.

"I'm going to Cianwood City to win a Storm Badge," Gary answered. "And you, Ashyboy?"

"I'm going to Red Rock Isle, Misty is going to participate in the Whirl Cup," Ash responded.

"How about a quick one vs. one battle?" Gary asked.

"That's okay," Ash replied. He just couldn't deny a challenge.

"Arcanine, I choose you!" Gary said, while sending out the Fire Pokemon.

"Heracross, I'm gonna go with you!" Ash shouted, while hurling the Poke Ball of his Bug Pokemon.

"Ash, that's not a smart choice. You know Bug Pokemon are at a type disadvantage against Fire Pokemon!" Misty said.

"It's fine! Heracross defeated Gary's Magmar six years ago during the Johto League," Ash defended his choice. "And Heracross hasn't battled in quite some time, so it would be good if he gets in the battling rhythm again."

"Ash, don't do this! You'll just end up losing," Misty tried, but Ash didn't listen. "Why is that guy so stubborn?" she thought.

"Arcanine, let's start with a Flamethrower!" Gary commanded. Flames came out of the dog's mouth, but Heracross quickly jumped away.

"Heracross, use your Megahorn!" Ash commanded. Heracross ran at Arcanine.

"We got him," Gary thought. "Arcanine, bite Heracross in his horn so he can't move!" Gary commanded. When Heracross reached Arcanine, the dog held Heracross's horn with his mouth.

"Good, Arcanine! And now, smack him up and down!" Gary commanded. Arcanine moved his head up and down, smacking Heracross on the ground multiple times. Then, the dog stopped holding Heracross. The Bug Pokemon still lay on the ground, trying to get up.

"And now finish it with a Fire Blast from very close by!" Gary commanded. Arcanine shot fire at Heracross, who just stood up and who was very close to Arcanine. The Bug Pokemon was unable to take this attack.

"Oh no, Heracross!" Ash shouted. He returned his Pokemon to his Poke Ball. "Have some rest," he said.

"Arcanine, that was great! Come back and have some rest," Gary said to his Pokemon.

"Gary, Gary, he's our man, if he can't do it, no one can!" the cheerleaders sang.

"That was nice, Ashyboy. Bye!" Gary said. Then, he and his cheerleaders walked away.

"Ash, you should've listened to me..." Misty complained.

"You're probably right..." Ash moaned.

Then, they saw two people in white outfits with a big, red R and their Meowth.

"Oh no, Team Rocket..." Tracey said. The villains walked forward, and started their motto.

"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie said.

"And make it double!" James added to that.

"To protect the world from devastation!" Jessie shouted.

"To unite the people within our nation!" James sang.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!" Jessie screamed.

"To extend our reach to the stars above!" James said.

"Jessie!" Jessie said her name.

"James!" James did the same.

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!" Jessie said.

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!" James shouted.

"Meowth, that's right!" Meowth shouted.

"Give us that Pikachu!" James said.

"Never!" Ash shouted.

Then, a blue-haired woman came at them. "What's all the noise here?" she asked. It was Officer Jenny.

"I'll handle this," Misty said. "Togetic, use your Sweet Kiss!" she commanded. Togetic confused Team Rocket with the kiss, so Officer Jenny could easily arrest them.

"Thank you!" the officer said to Misty. "I'll call a colleague to come and pick them up with a speedboat."

"You're welcome!" Misty responded.

Twenty minutes later, a policeman from a small island close to the place where the ship was arrived. Team Rocket got arrested!

"Have fun in jail!" Ash shouted.

"Don't forget to send us a card from the tropical jail!" Misty said.

"And send us a nice photo of your tropical holiday too!" Tracey joked.

After having dinner at the ship, Ash, Misty, Daisy and Tracey heard an announcement. In fifteen minutes, the boat would finally arrive at Red Rock Island. Ash, Misty, Tracey and Daisy decided to go to the bathroom to take off their clothes and put on their swimwear, to go straight to the beach when they arrived. Three minutes later, Ash came out, wearing flipflops and his red swimming trunks. Then, much to his pleasure, he saw that Misty put on her sexy black bikini, with a strapless top. Tracey wore white swimming trunks, and Daisy wore a yellow one-piece swimsuit.

"Misty, if you and Daisy would participate in a swimsuit contest, you'd certainly beat her with ease!" Ash said. Misty smiled, while Tracey and Daisy looked a bit annoyed.

Then, they heard an announcement. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is six o'clock in the evening. We arrived at Red Rock Island. Please leave this ship, and don't forget your luggage."

"This is awesome!" Misty said. "It's winter in almost all of Johto, and we get to go to the beach with tropical temperatures!"

"I know, this is cool!" Daisy replied.

Our heroes walked off the ship, and went to the beach. The first thing Misty did there was sending Seadra out of his Poke Ball. Then, she ran into the water and gave her Pokemon a big hug, which Seadra appreciated.

"Seadra, I haven't seen you for so long until that battle! Did Professor Oak treat you well?" she asked.

"Sea!" Seadra responded, while nodding, to imply "yes."

"Seadra, I know your species are very fast. Could you show me your speed?" Misty asked. Seadra quickly swam a circle around Misty.

"Wow, you are indeed very fast!" she said.

Then, Seadra playfully splashed some water at Misty, using his fins. They started playing and splashing water at each other.

"Oh, look, Daisy! That's so cute!" Tracey said.

"That's true. Aside from the moment when she didn't forgive me for all bad things I did, she seems so happy now she's on a journey with Ash," Daisy replied.

"Well, that's because she's free now. Free to travel and free to be with the guy of her dreams," Tracey responded.

"I guess you're right..." Daisy said.

"Daisy, why did you, Violet and Lily treat Misty like crap all the time?" Ash asked.

"Well, we're her big sisters, we had to show her that we're in charge. And come on, us three are way more beautiful than her..." Daisy answered.

"You three are not more beautiful than her!" Ash snapped, while he looked at his girlfriend. He saw her beautiful legs. He thought her belly and back were gorgeous. He saw how beautifully her black bikini top accentuated her chest, showing that Misty's body looks just as mature and beautiful as her personality. He saw how cute she was smiling to Seadra. Then, he ran at Misty to give her a surprise kiss on the cheek. He saw her cute eyes, and he saw her beautiful, long hair moving while she splashed water at Seadra. Then, he put her lips on her cheek and kissed her.

"Thank you, Ash!" Misty said.

"You're welcome!" Ash replied. "Daisy was saying that she, Violet and Lily are more beautiful than you again, but deep down in her heart, she knows that she's wrong."

"Thank you!" Misty responded. "Also, Daisy, Violet and Lily lack the most important beauty," she said.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"The beauty that's skin deep!" Misty said. "A kind personality!"

"You certainly have that beauty," Ash said.

Then, Ash ran back to Daisy. "Daisy, you, Violet and Lily lack something."

"What are you talking about?" Daisy asked.

"True beauty," Ash answered.

"What do you mean?" she asked, while Tracey was rubbing her shoulders with sunscreen.

"The beauty on the inside, a nice personality," Ash answered. "Misty is beautiful on both the outside and the inside. You, Violet and Lily only care about how you look."

"He's right..." Daisy thought. "I didn't expect him to come up with that..."

"Good point," Tracey said. Daisy looked angry.

"But despite that, I love you!" he added quickly. Daisy's mad face was quickly replaced by a smile. "Thank you, sweetie!" she said.

Then, Togetic flew at Misty and Seadra, and started splashing water at the two as well. She gave her trainer a big hug, and talked to Seadra, who she hasn't seen in a long time. Then, Misty gave a hug to both Togetic and Seadra.


	22. Chapter 22

The next day, Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Togetic were sunbathing at the beach. Despite the fact that it was winter, the warm climate on Red Rock Isle enabled them to pretend like it was a very warm summer, even enabling everyone at the island to walk around in swimwear all day long, which is what Ash and Misty did.

"Misty, tomorrow is your first pre-round battle. Have you decided what Pokemon you'll use yet?" Ash asked, while rubbing sunscreen on the back of his beautiful girlfriend.

"That depends on who my opponent will be," Misty replied, while she turned around to give her back some sun.

Then, Tracey and Daisy came running at Ash and Misty.

"Ash, Misty, we just saw the battling schedule for tomorrow!" Tracey said.

"Then who'll be my opponent?" Misty asked.

"Andreas," Daisy answered. "Do you know him?"

"Yes, he participated in the Catch-A-Seaking Contest both times I participated. I assume he'll use his Poliwrath, so I'll use Politoed. Poliwrath intimidated and bullied him back when he was a Poliwhirl, so Politoed will be extra motivated," Misty said.

"That's some smart thinking, Misty!" Tracey complimented. "Also, we have bad news," he added.

"What is it, Tracey?" Ash asked.

"We heard on the news in the Pokemon Center that Team Rocket escaped from jail..." Tracey muttered.

"Oh well, we didn't expect to actually get rid of them anyways..." Misty replied.

Then, they saw three people coming at them. Pikachu waved at them, Togetic seemed to know them, but not as well as Pikachu.

"Hey Ash, long time no see!" a brown-haired girl wearing a pink polka-dotted one-piece bathing suit said.

"Hello, May!" Ash replied.

"Hey, Misty, nice to see you again!" a blue-haired boy wearing green swimming trunks said.

"Hi Max," Misty said.

"Ash, is she your girlfriend?" a green-haired guy wearing red swimming trunks asked, referring to Misty. It was Drew, May's boyfriend.

"Yes, she is," Ash answered.

"Then you're a very lucky guy," Drew said. "She's gorgeous! And she's hot!"

"Thank you!" Misty replied. She saw that Ash was getting annoyed by Drew's flirting.

"Would you like a rose?" Drew asked, handing out a white rose to Misty.

"Um... Drew, I already have a boyfriend..." Misty replied, referring to Ash.

"Drew, stop it!" May snapped, while looking a bit angry.

"Oh, sorry..." Drew muttered to May.

"And, May, how are you doing as a coordinator?" Misty asked.

"Well, I participated in the Grand Festival multiple times, but I haven't won one yet," May replied. "But I did reach the final round three times."

"Well, then you're pretty close to winning!" Misty said. "And I see Drew is your boyfriend."

"That's right, he's so sweet," May answered.

"And how are you doing as a Pokemon trainer, Max?" Ash asked.

"Fine," Max said. "I started with a Treecko, it's a Grovyle now. And during my journey in Hoenn, the Ralts I met six years ago joined me, he's a Gardevoir now. Now, I'm traveling through Sinnoh with May and Drew, but when you called us, we immediately came here."

"That's great, Max!" Ash complimented. "When we have time, maybe we could battle."

"That would be great!" Max cheered.

"Well, about battling... Would one of you three like to have a battle with me? I'd like to have one last practice battle before the first Whirl Cup match starts, which is tomorrow," Misty asked.

"I haven't battled in quite some time, so I'd be willing to battle you," May proposed.

"That's nice," Misty responded. "Would you be okay with a six vs. six battle? Then I could use all Pokemon I have with me right now, there are two that I haven't used in quite some time, I want to see if they're ready for a though battle."

"That's fine with me," May answered.

Then, Misty and May walked closer to the sea, so they could use the sea as a part of the battlefield, for Water Pokemon. Togetic flew behind Misty, awaiting her turn to battle.

May threw a Poke Ball in the air. "Go, Glaceon!" she shouted. A blue Pokemon appeared.

"Seadra, I choose you!" Misty shouted, while sending out the blue seahorse.

"Go, Misty!" Ash shouted.

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu added to that, cheering for Misty.

"You can do it, May!" Max shouted.

"Yeah, May! Max is right," Drew said.

"Glaceon, start with a Water Pulse!" May said. Her Glaceon was standing on the sand of the beach, while Seadra was in the water.

"Seadra, avoid the attack!" Misty commanded. Seadra dove further underwater, just enough to evade the pulse.

"Now, use Hydro Pump!" Misty commanded. Glaceon was hit harshly, because it was unable to avoid: it didn't know where Seadra was, and when it saw the attack coming, it was too late to evade.

"Glaceon, can you still go on?" May asked, looking a bit worried.

"Gla!" Glaceon shouted, while getting up with a lot of trouble. The Ice Pokemon had trouble standing on its legs, and was almost done for.

"Seadra, let's finish this with a Twister!" Misty commanded. Seadra made the water form a tornado, which caught Glaceon. After being hurled around and shaked by the Twister, it was defeated. May returned Glaceon to its Poke Ball. Then, she sent out her Beautifly.

"Beautifly, use your Silver Wind!" May shouted. This time, the attack was too fast, Seadra couldn't avoid getting hit.

"Seadra, use your Blizzard!" Misty commanded. Snow came out of Seadra's snout, shrouding the butterfly in a harsh, snowy wind.

"Beautifly, use your Whirlwind!" May commanded. The Bug Pokemon moved its wings at high speed, blowing the Blizzard back at Seadra.

"Now, finish this with an Energy Ball!" May shouted. A green ball came at Seadra, who got hit. The seahorse was defeated.

"Seadra, come back!" Misty said, while returning her defeated Pokemon to his Poke Ball. "Tentacruel, I choose you!" she shouted, sending the jellyfish out of its Poke Ball.

"Beautifly, use your Swift!" May shouted. The butterfly shot star-shaped rays at Tentacruel, who got hit harshly by the though attack.

"Tentacruel, Bubblebeam!" Misty commanded. A strong beam of bubbles reached Beautifly. The attack was too fast to avoid for the butterfly, who got badly hurt.

"Beautifly, Psybeam!" May commanded. A colourful beam struck Tentacruel.

"Tentacruel, hit Beautifly with your tentacles!" Misty shouted. First, Tentacruel missed Beautifly twice, but the third time, Tentacruel gave Beautifly a strong hit with one of his tentacles. The butterfly collapsed.

"No, Beautifly!" May cried. She returned the Pokemon to its Poke Ball. "Skitty, I choose you!" May shouted, when sending the pink kitty to the battlefield.

"Tentacruel, use your Poison Sting!" Misty shouted. The stingers hit Skitty.

"Skitty, use your Assist!" May commanded. Then, Skitty came at Tentacruel, hitting the jellyfish with Fury Cutter multiple times, until he was defeated. Misty returned the Pokemon to his Poke Ball, and sent out her Luvdisc. "Caserin, I choose you!" she said, while sending the nicknamed heart fish out of his Poke Ball.

"Luvdisc, use your Water Gun!" Misty commanded. Skitty got hit, was wet, but not defeated yet.

"Skitty, use your Assist again!" May said. It became Fury Cutter again, an attack that gets stronger every time when an opponent is hit by it. After hitting Tentacruel a few times, the attack was immensely strong, or at least strong enough to defeat Luvdisc in just one hit!

"May is very lucky..." Ash moaned. "So many Fury Cutters in a row!"

"Yeah, but I don't mind that," Max answered.

"Caserin, return!" Misty said. Then, she hurled her Poke Ball. "Hoppip, I choose you!"

"Skitty, use your Assist again!" May commanded. Again, the attack became Fury Cutter! However, unlike Tentacruel and Luvdisc, Hoppip was fast enough to evade the attack! Skitty, who tried to hit Hoppip with her tail, collapsed and lay on her back, unable to get back on her paws!

"Hoppip, this is your chance: use your Double-Edge!" Misty shouted. Hoppip charged into Skitty, knocking her out!

Then, May returned her Pokemon to its Poke Ball and sent out her Munchlax.

"Hoppip, Tackle!" Misty commanded.

"Munchlax, grab him in one hand!" May commanded. Munchlax grabbed the Grass Pokemon in his left hand.

"Now, use your Fire Punch on Hoppip!" she said to her Normal Pokemon, who hit Hoppip so hard that it was defeated.

"Hoppip is strong when it comes to offenses, but he's defensively frail..." Ash moaned.

"You were great, Hoppip! Come back and have some rest," Misty said. "Gyarados, go!" she said. May seemed to be shocked.

"Gyarados, defeat Munchlax in one hit with your Hyper Beam!" she shouted. A strong beam hit Munchlax, who was totally overpowered. He lay on the beach, totally defeated.

"Munchlax, well done. Return!" May said to her defeated Normal Pokemon. Then, she threw a Poke Ball, sending out a big, blue Grass Pokemon. "Venusaur, I choose you!"

"Gyarados looks tired," Ash commented.

"That's because he just used Hyper Beam, that takes a crapload of energy," Max explained.

"Venusaur, Solarbeam!" May commanded. While Gyarados was unable to attack, Venusaur was able to charge without getting hit.

"Venusaur, now!" May shouted. A strong beam of light hit Gyarados, who seemed to be done for. However, the Pokemon got up!

"That's the spirit, Gyarados!" Misty complimented. "Now, use your Hyper Beam!" A strong beam came out of the dragon's mouth, strongly hitting Venusaur, who was way too slow to evade the attack. The Grass Pokemon was exhausted, but just strong enough to survive.

"Venusaur, use your Razor Leaf!" May commanded. Gyarados was too tired to evade, got hit and collapsed.

"Gyarados, you were awesome. Come back!" Misty said. Then, she sent Togetic to battle. "Come on, Togetic! You can do it!"

"Toge Togetic!" she answered, while hovering in the air.

"Pi Pi Pi!" Pikachu cheered.

"Togetic, use your Flamethrower!" Misty commanded. Flames hit Venusaur, who was exhausted, and also too slow to evade. The Grass Pokemon was defeated.

"You did well, Venusaur. Come back and have some rest," May said. Then, she sent out her Blaziken. "Everything depends on you!"

The seawater wouldn't be used as a battlefield anymore: Blaziken stood on the sand, while Togetic hovered in the air. While Tracey was drawing Misty as sexy as possible to surprise Ash, whose birthday was coming up in a few days, Daisy was taking a nap. Meanwhile, Max and Ash were enjoying the fast-paced battle that was taking place, while Drew was cheering for May.

"Blaziken, let's start with a Blaze Kick!" May shouted. A fiery kick was aimed at Togetic, who was able to avoid getting hit.

"Togetic, use your Aerial Ace!" Misty commanded. The Happiness Pokemon charged into Blaziken, hitting Hoenn's fully evolved starter Pokemon super effectively.

"Blaziken, Fire Blast!" May commanded. This time, Togetic was hit, but she was able to continue the battle.

"Togetic, retaliate with a Grass Knot!" Misty commanded. Togetic's opponent was unable to move: its feet were tied to the ground! Blaziken tried to escape, but nothing worked.

"Blaziken, try to hit her from a distance with your Fire Blast!" May shouted.

"Togetic, Light Screen!" Misty shouted. A screen appeared before Togetic, shielding her from the fire.

"Togetic, let's finish this with a Hyper Beam!" Misty commanded. A very strong beam was aimed at Blaziken, who collapsed. Misty was the winner!

"Blaziken, you fought hard and did well. Return!" May said. Then, she walked up to Misty. "Congratulations, you're ready for the Whirl Cup."

"Thank you!" Misty said with a smile. "You fought well too."

"Misty, if you battle like that during the Whirl Cup, you'll be able to win it," Ash complimented.

"That was awesome, Misty!" Max added, while Pikachu ran at Togetic to hug her, congratulating her with the victory.

"That was awesome, Misty!" Tracey complimented.

"Thanks," Misty replied. "What did you draw?" she asked, pointing at Tracey's sketchbook.

"Um... That's a secret," Tracey said.

Then, our heroes walked to the nearest Pokemon, so Misty could get her Pokemon checked. They were all healthy, the ones who were defeated in battle against May just had to rest a bit in their Poke Balls. Misty also called Professor Oak, to swap around a few Pokemon for her upcoming Whirl Cup battles.

After having dinner at the Pokemon Center, they went back to the beach to relax some more and to talk.

"Max, now you're traveling with May and Drew, does May still tease you a lot?" Misty asked.

"Of course, and Drew does that too, he'll be my big brother-in-law," Max explained.

"Well, it can't be worse than what my sisters did to me..." Misty moaned.

"That's true!" Ash added to that.

"Misty, have you and Ash already kissed?" May asked.

"Yes, we have," Misty answered.

"And have you two already 'shared the bed' yet?" Drew asked with a naughty undertone.

"That's none of your business," Misty replied, looking a bit annoyed.

"Yes, we did," Ash answered. "When we just got reunited, we lost our virginity to each other," he blurted out, much to Misty's annoyance.

"Well, Misty, don't be mad..." Tracey said. "It only means you two are close as a couple."

"Well, I think such things are private," Misty said.

"And, was it nice?" Max asked.

"It was..." Ash said, before being interrupted by Misty. "Don't you dare to finish that sentence!" she snapped.

"And how about you two?" Tracey asked to May and Drew.

"Not yet, we don't want Max to catch us doing that," May answered.

"And how about you two?" Max asked Tracey and Daisy.

"I'd rather not tell you," Daisy answered.

"You're very curious, it seems," Tracey said to Max. "But when you have a girlfriend when you're older, you can experience it yourselves."

"Could we please talk about something else than love and sex?" Ash asked, referring to Pokemon-related topics, his obsession.

"Um... How about Pokemon and love and sex?" Max asked.

"Ash's Pikachu and my Togetic are in a relationship," Misty said, while looking at the two hugging Pokemon. "Max, May, Daisy, Tracey and Drew, do any of you have two Pokemon that are in a relationship?"

"No," they said simultaneously.

"Then another topic: does any of you want to have children when you're older?" Misty asked. "When Ash and I are married and settle down, I'd like to have one or two children."

"You'd be a great parent, Misty! You proved that by taking care of Togetic," Tracey said.

"Thank you," Misty said. "Do you and Daisy want children?"

"Well, I might want it, but Daisy doesn't," Tracey answered.

"Well, I don't think I'd be a good mother," Daisy said, while Ash was taking a nap during a conversation that didn't interest him at all.

"Personally, I agree with that," Misty said. Her blonde sister wasn't offended.

"And how about you, May and Drew?" Tracey asked.

"We never really thought or talked about it," Drew answered.

"Max, would you want to be a daddy when you get older?" Misty asked.

"Um... I don't know... Probably, yes," Max answered.

Then, our heroes went to the hotel, they were tired. Tomorrow, Misty would have her first battle. While the others went to a big sleeping room, Ash and Misty had a private room with a two-person bed for themselves and a small two-Pokemon bed for Pikachu and Togetic.

"Good night, Ash," Misty said, after brushing her teeth (and brushing Ash's, who was too sleepy after falling asleep for a while during the group conversation).

"Zzz... Good night..." Ash muttered. Then, he fell asleep. And despite the tension of her upcoming battle, Misty fell asleep too. And so did Pikachu and Togetic.


	23. Chapter 23

The next day, Misty stood in the stadium. Meanwhile, Ash, Daisy, Tracey, Max, May, Drew, Pikachu and Togetic were sitting on the stands of the stadium, where they were supporting the former Cerulean City Gym Leader.

"You can do it, Misty!" Ash shouted.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu added to that.

"Togetic!" Togetic said.

Misty looked at the stands, and saw her 'fanclub', and waved at her friends. It was finally going to start: the Whirl Cup! Unlike six years ago, the early rounds also took place in the colosseum on Red Rock Isle.

Then, Misty's opponent arrived. A blue-haired man walked up to the battlefield, wearing a black shirt with the text "MISTY IS GOING DOWN" on it, which caused a portion the audience to laugh. But Misty also had a portion of the audience on her side, for two reasons: she was kinder than Andreas, and many guys saw her as attractive.

"Trainers, this is a one on one Pokemon battle. This battle ends when the Pokemon of one trainer is defeated. The winner will progress to the next round. Trainers, choose your Pokemon!" the referee said, explaining the rules.

"Poliwrath, go!" Andreas shouted, hurling his Poke Ball, making the blue tadpole come out.

"Politoed, I choose you!" Misty said, making the green frog come out of his Poke Ball.

"Begin!" the referee announced.

"Politoed, let's start with a Doubleslap!" Misty commanded. The frog swam at Poliwrath, who just dove underwater, hitting it with a strong attack.

"Poliwrath, Submission under water!" Andreas shouted. Poliwrath rolled around, after grabbing Politoed, causing Misty's Pokemon a lot of pain.

"Politoed, Mega Kick!" Misty shouted. The frog jumped in the air, aimed his right foot at Poliwrath and kicked on its head. Poliwrath, who just came out of the water, was kicked into the water again.

"Poliwrath, can you go on?" Andreas asked. Poliwrath nodded "yes." Then, its trainer took a megaphone, and shouted "fangirls, sing for me!" Then, a group of girls on the stand started singing songs to support Andreas. "Andreas, Andreas, you can kick Misty's ass!"

"Politoed, Shadow Ball!" Misty commanded. A black blob was shot at Poliwrath, who avoided the attack, which Andreas commanded it to do.

"Now use Ice Punch!" Misty commanded her Politoed, who ran at Poliwrath.

"Poliwrath, Focus Punch!" Andreas shouted. Just when Politoed was going to hit Poliwrath, he got hit by the strong Focus Punch.

"Politoed, no!" Misty muttered, in fear of her Whirl Cup dream ending way too soon. "Can you go on?" she asked.

"Politoed!" the frog Pokemon said, getting up and able to continue the battle, but also exhausted.

"Poliwrath, let's end this with a Giga Impact!" Andreas commanded. The blue Pokemon swam at Politoed at high speed, harshly hitting the green frog.

"Politoed is defea..." the referee said, interrupting himself when he saw that Politoed was still trying to get up. The green frog was done for, but eventually got up on pure willpower, solely because he didn't want Misty to lose in her first Whirl Cup round. He was too tired to walk, so he stood on the small spot where he could stand on.

"Sorry, Politoed is still able to battle!" the referee apologised.

"Poliwrath, let's finish this with Tackle," Andreas said. Poliwrath swam at Politoed, in order to attack.

Politoed was looking at Poliwrath. His eyes were red from anger, he wanted to beat the crap out of his old nemesis.

"Politoed, throw all your frustration, anger, aggression and power in one last-ditch Focus Punch!" Misty shouted. When Poliwrath almost reached Politoed, he got hit by the strongest attack Politoed ever used! The blue Pokemon sank underwater, drifted upwards and was defeated!

"Poliwrath is defeated, Politoed is the winner. Misty continues to the next round!" the referee announced.

Misty started cheering and telling Politoed how awesome he did, and returned the exhausted frog to his Poke Ball after a big hug. Then, the people in the big stadium started cheering. "Misty! Misty! Misty! Misty!"

Meanwhile, Andreas walked up to Misty. "Congratulations, you deserved to win," he said.

"Thank you, and despite your loss, you did well," Misty answered.

After handing out signatures while trying to get out of the stadium, Misty went to her friends, who congratulated her.

"That was awesome, Misty!" Ash complimented.

"If you battle like that, you can win the Whirl Cup!" Max said.

"Thank you," Misty said.

Then, our heroes walked to the beach again, to enjoy the warm weather. The distance between the beach and the stadium was very small, so that didn't take very long.

"Ash, could we please battle today?" Max asked. "You already didn't do it yesterday..."

"Of course, sure!" Ash replied. "Three vs. three?" he asked.

"Fine," Max replied.

"Misty, have you thought about forgiving me yet?" Daisy asked. "I fully realize that what Lily, Violet and I did was wrong, but I can't change the past. Wouldn't it be better to just move on?"

"Shut up, Daisy!" Misty snapped.

"Then you're just an immature brat who holds grudges on innocent people!" Daisy snapped. Misty got so mad, that Pikachu, Togetic, Ash, Tracey, Drew, Max and May were barely able to stop Misty from beating up Daisy.

At the beach, our heroes put on their swimwear. Ash and Max walked up to the place where Misty and May battled yesterday, while Pikachu, Daisy, Tracey and May were watching. Meanwhile, Misty and Togetic went away from Daisy and were sunbathing on a towel. Meanwhile, Drew joined Misty, explaining that decision with "then she won't be so alone."

"Totodile, I choose you!" Ash shouted, releasing the Grass Pokemon from its Poke Ball. The crocodile started dancing, but knew he had to be serious during the battle.

"Grovyle, go!" Max shouted. He sent out his starter Pokemon.

"Totodile, start with a Scary Face!" Ash commanded. Totodile tried to strike fear, but failed at that.

"Grovyle, Bullet Seed!" Max commanded. Seeds were shot at Totodile at high speed, strongly hitting the crocodile.

Meanwhile, Tracey and Daisy were talking about Misty. "I don't get it, Tracey... Why can't she forgive me? I really want to make it right..." Daisy complained.

"Well, what you, Lily and Violet did was unacceptable for Misty, too big to ever forgive you..." Tracey replied.

Then, Daisy got an idea. "Could you please talk to Misty? She won't take me seriously, but you are a friend of her."

"What do you want me to say, dear?" Tracey asked his girlfriend.

"Well, you can explain to her that my intentions are good. Maybe she'll take what I'm saying if you tell her instead of me," Daisy explained.

While Totodile collapsed, Drew was looking at Misty. "She's so gorgeous..." he thought.

Then, Tracey came. "Misty, we need to talk."

"Why?" Misty asked, while Ash hurled his Poke Ball, sending out a big, fat Normal Pokemon.

"Because Daisy is really doing her best to make you forgive her, she really doesn't want to hurt you," he explained.

"Well, what she, Lily and Violet did went too far!" she shouted. "They ruined six years of my life!"

"There's nothing they can do to change that now, but Daisy really feels remorseful about this, she wants to make it right," he explained.

"Just tell Daisy to f*ck off!" Misty snapped.

"Sorry for my interference, but I think Misty is right," Drew said.

"Why?" Tracey asked.

"It's up to Misty to decide whether she forgives Daisy or not. Daisy can't give her six more years of travelling, the past can't be changed. Misty has every reason to be mad about that!" Drew explained.

Meanwhile, Ash's Snorlax was just about to defeat the tired Grovyle. "Snorlax, Body Slam!" Ash commanded. The fatass jumped on Grovyle, who was crushed by the weight.

"No, Grovyle!" Max cried. Then, he said "you did well, Grovyle, have some rest" in a calmer tone. Then, he sent out his Beautifly.

At the same time, Misty, Tracey and Drew continued their discussion. "Isn't there anything Daisy or I can do to make you forgive her?" Tracey asked.

"No!" Misty snapped, raising her right fist.

"How about ten million Poke Dollars?" Tracey offered. "Daisy made this contract as a last-ditch effort. Sign it, and you'll be rich. At least, if you tell Daisy you forgive her, and never talk about the past six years again."

That offer made Misty's face go red. "Money can't buy me out of my right to be mad!" she snapped.

"Sorry, but I didn't want to offer you this, Daisy wanted me to offer you this," Tracey explained.

"Then why do you offer it? Just tell Daisy to do that herselves!" Drew suggested, while Max's Beautifly just defeated Ash's Snorlax.

"Often, when people ask me to do chores, I refuse. But when Daisy asks it, I do it. She has some magic power for me," Tracey explained. At the same moment, Ash chose Growlithe as his last Pokemon in the battle against Max.

"Love," Misty said.

"Well, Misty, you can tell Daisy yourselves that you won't forgive her," Tracey suggested.

"I don't want to talk to her," Misty said.

"Fine, I'll do it..." Tracey moaned. Then, he walked to Daisy, who was disappointed but not surprised. "Misty never seemed like the kind of person who would accept money to keep her mouth shut," she mentioned., while Growlithe's Flamethrower defeated Max's Beautifly. Then, Max sent out his strongest Pokemon, his Gardevoir.

When Tracey was with the others, Drew started talking to Misty. "It's good that you didn't accept his stupid money," he said.

"Thanks," Misty replied. "Also, Drew, I noticed your behaviour when you're around me, and this is difficult to ask, but are you attracted to me?" she asked.

"Well, I don't have a crush on you, and my heart is May's. But you are very beautiful and extremely hot," he admitted. "Some girls don't like to be called 'hot', are you fine with it?"

"Well, I feel flattered that so many guys like my body, that's nice. So yes, I'm fine with it, as long as they accept that I'm with Ash and that I'm not interested in dates, relationships, kissing or sex with them. Those are things I only want with Ash. And I don't think appearance is what people should focus on. I'd rather be called kind than being called beautiful. So what do you think of my personality?" she asked.

"That's hard to say, I don't know you that well... But you seem nice," he said.

"Thanks," she said.

"Also, Ash told me you have a major anger problem. But I think it's not that big. After all, Tracey angered you, but you didn't use physical violence," he explained.

"Well, I denied my anger problem for a long time. But when Ash and I argued in the Olivine Gym, the Gym Leader there made me realize I have serious issues," she responded. "Of course my short temper can't be changed, but I really want to change this, I don't want to be violent anymore."

"Well, it's good that you admit your problem, that's a big step towards solving your issue," he replied.

"It wasn't easy for me to admit this, but I can't deny it anymore..." she admitted.

"I understand" he said. "Also, could you please not tell May about what I said about your good-looking body?"

"Of course I won't tell her," Misty said.

"Shall we watch the end of the battle?" Drew asked.

"Okay," Misty said. "And I really appreciate your support," she added. "I just had to get this off my chest."

"And that chest is hot," Drew flirted, while looking at that part of Misty's body.

Misty giggled, felt flattered, but despite that, she asked "Drew, we're friends, we're not a couple. Could you please not make that kind of comments?"

"Okay, sorry," Drew said.

Then, they walked at the others. Meanwhile, Ash's Growlithe hit Max's Gardevoir with Fire Blast, defeating the Psychic Pokemon after a difficult battle.

"Yay!" Ash shouted. Despite the fact that she didn't see the entire battle, Misty gave him a congratulation hug, while Pikachu and Togetic were cheering, while congratulating Growlithe.

When Max returned Gardevoir to his Poke Ball, Max walked up to Ash. "That Growlithe of yours is impressive!"

"Thanks," Ash said. "You did well, you seem like a good trainer to me!"

"You too," Max answered. "You are the deserved winner."

Two hours later, our heroes had dinner and put their clothes on, as far as that was possible: some wore their swimwear, which was enough because of the tropical temperatures. For example, Misty kept wearing her bikini, and only added a long, black skirt to her outfit. Then, they went to the hotel

At the hotel, there was a surprise waiting for them: it was their old friend Brock, and this time, there was a woman with him! It was Lucy, the Frontier Brain of the Battle Pike.

"Hey, Brock, I see you and Lucy are together!" Misty said.

"Yeah, we're dating for some months now," Brock answered. After flirting and intercourse with many different women, and a relationship with Nurse Joy that only lasted one week, Brock was finally able to maintain a relationship!

"That's wonderful!" Misty replied. "You two look like a cute couple." Then, after introducing herself to Lucy, she said "Brock told me some very nice things about you."

"Thank you," Lucy said. "But he's biased."

"And, how did you two get together?" Misty asked.

"We met each other six years ago and loved each other, love at first sight," Brock answered.

"In those six years, many guys asked me out, but I didn't want to date anyone else but Brock. I waited for him, believing that I would see him again. And my patience has been rewarded," Lucy elaborated.

"That's so romantic," Misty commented.

"Then, when Brock came back from a short trip to Johto, we had a night out, we went to a restaurant, took me to a movie, and immediately like we were a couple that's already together for years," Lucy said.

"I crushed on many girls just because they're hot, but Lucy is my one and only true love," Brock added to that.

"Are you two already considering to start living together?" Misty asked.

"Yeah," Lucy commented. "He's going to move to the Battle Pike to live with me."

"And did you two already kiss?" Misty asked.

"Of course!" Brock said, showing a proud smile.

"And did you and Brock already... Well, how should I call this?" Ash tried to ask.

"Did what?" Lucy asked.

"Well... Do it?" Ash blurted out.

"Ash, that's none of your business!" Lucy snapped. Misty was annoyed, and almost hit Ash. However, Togetic and Pikachu prevented that from happening.

"Sorry, Lucy, he can't help it. He's unromantic, immature and dense," Brock explained.

"That's true," Tracey said.

"I really don't see why Misty has such strong feelings for that guy..." Drew complained.

"And I don't see why he has feelings for her!" Daisy joked.

"I'm glad Drew is more mature than Ash," May said.

"I am who I am!" Ash defended himself. "And everyone has flaws, why does everyone always have to complain about this?" he snapped.

"He's right," Lucy said. "Of course people can sometimes work on their flaws, but people are who they are and we need to respect that."

"Sorry, Ash..." Misty apologised. "You're totally right."

"It's okay, everyone makes mistakes," Ash answered. "At least, if you kiss me on my cheek." Misty moved her mouth to Ash's head, and gave him the kiss he wanted. Meanwhile, she enjoyed giving him that kiss as well.

Then, Misty took a look at the big screen in the hotel. There were the setups for the upcoming battles. She had to battle Prima! Then, she walked to Ash.

"Misty, who's gonna be your next opponent?" he asked.

"Prima," Misty said. "That'll be very hard, and it's just the pre-round, but it's also going to be a beautiful battle," she commented.

"I think you can beat her," Drew said.

"Just believe in yourself and you can do it. That's what I learned from Ash," Max commented.

"Thank you," Misty replied.

Later that evening, when Ash and Misty just went to bed, they started talking.

"Misty, you were with Drew for some time at the beach. What did you two do?" Ash asked.

"We talked," Misty answered.

"About what?" Ash asked.

"About Daisy," she answered. "He agrees with me. And we also talked about my anger problem."

"I noticed that Drew acts very different to you than towards most others, does he have a crush on you?" he asked.

"Are you a little jealous?" she asked. "You don't have to. He doesn't have a crush on me, but he does see me as hot."

"And do you see him as hot too?" he asked.

"No, absolutely not. I also told him that he and I are friends, but nothing more than that, and he respects that. And he's in a relationship with May anyways," she answered.

"Then it's fine," he said. "Good night."

"Good night," Misty responded. Then, they fell asleep, just like Pikachu and Togetic.


	24. Chapter 24

The next morning, Misty woke up early, to get ready for her second battle in the Whirl Cup. She had to win this round to go on to the main tournament, which involves 2 vs. 2 battles instead of 1 vs. 1. She took her pyjamas and underwear off, took a shower, brushed her teeth, brushed her hair and put on her black bikini (she had multiple bikinis that are the same), flipflops and a long, elegant black skirt. Then, she awoke Ash, Pikachu and Togetic.

"Misty, do I really have to get up now?" Ash moaned.

"If you want to be on time for the battle, yes," Misty answered.

Half an hour later, our heroes had breakfast at the hotel.

"Misty, what Pokemon will you use against Prima?" May asked. Today, Misty would battle Prima, who used to be her childhood idol. While no one was expecting Misty to win this round, Prima was seen as one of the top contenders to win this tournament, along with Wallace and Juan.

"Corsola," Misty answered.

"Why?" Max asked.

"Well, Prima uses mostly Pokemon with a combined Water/Ice typing," Misty explained.

"So you will exploit that Ice type by using a Rock Pokemon," Brock elaborated.

"Indeed," Misty replied.

"That's some smart thinking," Ash complimented his girlfriend.

Then, Misty's Hoppip came out of his Poke Ball, to give his trainer a hug.

"Thank you, Hoppip!" Misty said. Then, she looked at Ash. "Ash, could you please keep Hoppip with you during the battle? Then he can join Pikachu and Togetic in cheering."

"Of course!" Ash answered.

"Thanks," Misty said.

Then, our heroes walked to the stadium. They came across palm trees, and in five minutes, they reached the stadium. It was already crowded with people, mostly Prima fans. Then, Misty went to the battlefield. "Good luck, Misty!" Ash said, before going to the stand with the others.

"Thank you! And take good care of Hoppip and Togetic!" Misty responded.

Then, Misty entered the battlefield. She saw her friends cheering for her on the stands, but also saw a lot of people wearing shirts with Prima's face on it. Prima was clearly the one who almost everybody expected to win, almost no one was counting on Misty to defeat the Elite Four member.

"Wow, Prima is very popular... And she's a great trainer... But I'm sure Corsola can do it!" Misty thought.

Then, Prima arrived at the stadium. She waved at her fans, and then she talked to her opponent. "Good luck!"

"Thank you!" Misty replied. "It's a honour to battle you."

"Thank you," Prima said. Then, she hurled her Poke Ball. "Sealeo, I choose you!" A blue sea lion came out of its Poke Ball and drifted on the water.

"Corsola, I choose you!" Misty shouted. A Pokemon with blue and pink colours came out of her Poke Ball.

"Trainers, begin!" the referee shouted.

"Sealeo, let's start with an Aurora Beam!" Prima commanded. A colourful beam was shot at Corsola.

"Corsola, dive underwater!" Misty shouted, which made Corsola avoid getting hit.

"And now Spike Cannon," Misty said. Spikes came out of Corsola, Sealeo didn't see where the opponent was, causing it to get hit.

"Sealeo, now use your Water Pulse!" Prima commanded. Water came at Corsola, who could never be fast enough to avoid the attack.

"Corsola, Mirror Coat!" Misty commanded. That was just in time, Corsola's body started glowing, letting the Water Pulse bounce back to the strong sea lion. Sealeo was in great pain!

"Sealeo, now use Bulldoze!" Prima shouted. Sealeo jumped a bit and crashed down on the water with its heavy body, making the water shake, causing a wave to hit Corsola harshly.

"Corsola!" Misty shouted, afraid that this attack did a lot of damage.

Some minutes ago, two girls ran to the stadium. They flew to the island to be just in time to see this match, but they didn't know how to get to the stadium, so they were late. However, they had tickets and were able to enter the stadium. They went up to the stand, and sat down next to Misty's support group of friends.

Then, a blue-haired girl wearing a pink, short-sleeved contest dress and a Piplup on her shoulder used a megaphone and shouted at Misty. "No need to worry! You're gonna win!" Misty looked at the stands and saw the girl sitting next to Ash. Then, she saw that Corsola was able to handle the attack with relative ease.

"Dawn is right, Misty! As far as I know, from what Ash told us, you can do it!" a red-haired girl shouted, using Dawn's megaphone.

Misty waved at the two girls, then she commanded Corsola to do Power Gem. Pointed stones hit Sealeo, who was severely damaged.

"Now, let's finish this with Headbutt!" Misty commanded. Corsola swam at Sealeo, hitting the sea lion with a strong attack. The sea lion collapsed!

"Sealeo is defeated. Corsola and Misty are the winners!" the referee announced. Misty started cheering, and was joined by Togetic. Meanwhile, the stadium was silent, not many spectators were expecting this. Then, Misty got a standing ovation from the audience!

Then, Prima walked up to Misty. "You did well, Misty. You're the deserved winner," she said. "You can win this tournament!"

"Thank you! And you didn't give us an easy time," Misty said, while Corsola nodded. Then, when Prima walked away, she realized what she did: she defeated her former idol! This was the biggest achievement of her life!

Then, Misty walked out of the stadium, and went to her friends, who were waiting for her. The two girls who entered the stadium during the battle were with them too.

"Well done, Misty!" Ash said, after kissing Misty on her cheek.

"Thank you, sweetheart!" Misty replied.

"Who are you two?" Misty asked to the two girls.

"I'm Dawn. I travelled through Sinnoh with Ash six years ago," the blue-haired Piplup owner explained. "I'm a Pokemon Coordinator, and I reached the final round twice, but didn't win... But this year, I'm gonna win!"

"I'm Misty, Ash's girlfriend," Misty replied. "Nice to meet you!"

While Togetic flew at Piplup to introduce herself, the red-haired girl introduced herself. "I'm Zoey, a Pokemon Coordinator."

"And, are you and Dawn friends?" Misty asked.

"Well, we started as rivals, and then we became friends, and now we're even more than friends!" Zoey answered.

"I see," Misty replied. "Do you two travel together?"

"Yes, we do," Dawn said. Then, she changed the conversation topic. "Six years ago, Ash had a lure modelled after you."

"I still have it," Ash said, while showing the lure to the group.

"Hey, that's it!" Misty thought. "Now I know what to give Ash as a birthday present!" Her boyfriend's birthday was tomorrow. Misty was thinking about what to give him for a long time, but she wasn't able to come up with something good.

"I'm going to a store to buy something, I'll be back within a few hours!" Misty said, taking Togetic with her.

"Can I join?" Ash asked.

"No, this is for your birthday," Misty replied.

Misty walked from the beach to a busy street with a lot of shops. While her skirt moved elegantly in the wind, she ran at high speed to avoid journalists who wanted to interview her, which she really didn't feel like now. She needed some rest after the battle. However, she and Togetic were able to reach the shop they wanted to: Fishermen Top Shop.

Much to her dismay, Misty noticed that the door was closed. She knocked on the wooden, red door. "Hello? Is someone there?"

Then, she heard someone opening the door. "Um, sorry, but I have a day off now, the store is closed," a muscular man wearing blue jeans and a black shirt answered.

Then, he noticed who was standing in front of him. "Hey, you're Misty, the girl who defeated Prima in the Whirl Cup!" he shouted. "Would you like to buy something in my fine shop?"

"Yes," Misty replied. "But I thought your shop was closed today?"

"Well, for my idol, I'll make an exception! I'm a huge fan of yours!" the shop owner answered. On the walls of his shop, Misty saw a lot of pictures of herself, mostly from newspapers and magazines.

"It's not very fair towards other customers, but I need to be here now, for a present for my boyfriend's birthday," she said. "Six years ago, I gave him a lure modelled after me. To fit that lure, I thought it would be a romantic present to give him a lure modelled after himself."

"That's a sweet idea," he answered. "Do you have a picture of him? Then I'll get started right away, I'll need two hours. You can either wait here or go out and come back in two hours."

"I'm tired after my Whirl Cup fight, and if I go outside, journalists will start stalking me. I really need some rest before doing interviews, so could I wait here and rest a bit?" she asked.

"Of course!" he answered. "But could I please take a picture of you and your Togetic for my collection? My colleagues will be so jealous when they see you were in this shop, and I'd love to have a picture of my idol in my own store!"

"That's okay," Misty replied. "We'll take a picture when the lure is finished."

"Awesome!" the fan shouted. "There's a bed for guests upstairs."

Misty went to the bed, took off her flipflops, her long, elegant black skirt and her bikini, and lay in the bed. Togetic was tired too, she already fell asleep while Misty undressed. Then, Misty thought about her achievement. "Six years ago, I was nobody during my journey. When I became a Gym Leader, I was a local hero and an unhappy, depressed wreck, and now I defeated Prima and I have fanboys... This is the best day of my life!" Then, she fell asleep.

Two hours later, the fisherman shouted "Your lure is ready!" That was the moment when Misty woke up. She put on her bikini, her skirt and her flipflops and woke up Togetic. She went downstairs, and saw what her fanboy did: the result amazed her. She saw a lure modelled after her boyfriend.

"That's amazing!" Misty said with a big smile.

"Thank you!" the fisherman said. "Here's your picture of your boyfriend back, and I have a surprise for you!"

"Thanks!" Misty replied.

"Normally, I'd offer my lures for 200 Poke Dollars, but you can have the lure for free, because I admire you so much!" the fisherman offered. "And because you let me take a picture of you."

"That's sweet, but you did well. I want to pay for it!" Misty insisted, handing out the money to her fan.

"Then it's picture time now!" the fisherman said.

"Indeed," Misty replied. "Where shall we do this?"

"Just behind the counter here," the fisherman responded, pointing at the place where he wanted Misty to stand. Togetic hovered next to her trainer.

"Gimme a smile!" he said. Then, he took his camera and took a few pictures.

"Does your camera have a timer?" she asked.

"Yes, why?" he responded.

"Well, then we can take a pic of you, Togetic and me," she suggested.

"Awesome!" he replied. He stood next to her, then the light flashed, granting the fisherman's wish.

"It's time to go now," Misty said. "It was nice to meet you, and it's nice to see that I have fans like you!"

"You're welcome!" the fisherman replied. "Everything I thought about you is true: you're nice, beautiful, kind, cute, smart, funny and attractive. And you beating Prima shows why I became a fan of you: you're an amazing trainer!"

"Thank you so much!" Misty replied. Then, she ran to the hotel, where her friends were having dinner. She came across shops, journalists (she gave an interview to two newspapers about her battle), the stadium, the beach and eventually reached the hotel. There, she entered the dinner room.

"I'm back," Misty said. "And I've got an awesome present for an awesome guy!"

"That's awesome! I can't wait to see what it is!" Ash replied.

"Well, you'll have to wait until tomorrow," Misty teased.

"Hey, where's Brock?" Misty asked. Then, she saw her friend running to the table.

"I was at the corner over there. There, there's a list of the Whirl Cup rounds tomorrow! Misty, your next opponent will be Trinity!" the flirter said, while gasping.

"That's gonna be a hard battle..." Misty replied.

"But you can do it!" Ash encouraged. "If you can defeat Prima, you can beat Trinity too."

"Yeah. And I've seen Trinity's battle on TV when you were away, and she didn't impress me at all. She just got lucky in her battle against Crasher Wake," Tracey said.

"What Pokemon did she use there?" Misty asked.

"Gyarados and Chinchou. And her Chinchou is much slower than the average Chinchou, so maybe you could plan a strategy to take advantage of that," Brock responded.

"Hmm... Then I think Seadra could do nicely against that Chinchou," Misty replied. The blue sea dragon was her fastest Water Pokemon.

"That sounds like a good idea," Daisy said. Misty ignored her sister.

"Tracey, could you please tell Daisy that I don't want to talk to her?" Misty asked.

"Daisy, Misty told me she doesn't want to talk to you," Tracey said to his beloved.

After dinner, our heroes went to the beach: Misty and Dawn were going to battle, using the sea to allow their Water Pokemon to shine. "Thanks for accepting my challenge," Dawn said. She was wearing a pink one-piece bathing suit with a skirt, which fitted her contest-like clothing style. "Piplup is eager to battle!"

"No problem," Misty replied. "And Dewgong hasn't battled in quite some time, so I'm glad you're willing to battle my Dewgong."

"Go, Dawn!" Zoey shouted.

"Go, Misty!" Ash said, while cheering together with Pikachu and Togetic. Then, Hoppip came out of Misty's Poke Ball to cheer as well.

Then, Brock stood in between Misty and Dawn, to be the referee. "This is a one on one battle between Dawn and Misty. There is no time limit. Both trainers will use one Pokemon. The battle ends when either one or both of the Pokemon is defeated. Begin!"

"Piplup, let's start with a Whirlpool!" Dawn commanded.

"Dewgong, evade!" Misty shouted. The white Pokemon dove underwater.

"And now Swift!" she commanded. Star-shaped rays were shot at Piplup, who was hurt.

"Oh, no, Piplup!" Dawn shouted. But the penguin stood up and was still able to battle. "Piplup, Peck!" The penguin swam at Dewgong, who got hit harshly.

"Dewgong, Aurora Beam!" Misty commanded. A colourful beam hit Piplup, who was severely damaged and also confused.

"Piplup, Water Gun!" Dawn commanded. Piplup was able to attack, but instead of Dewgong, the penguin accidentally aimed wrong hit Dawn!

"Oh well, the weather is warm anyways, so a cold douche is nice," Dawn laughed.

"Dewgong, finish it with Horn Attack!" Misty shouted. The white sea lion swam at Piplup and delivered the final blow: the penguin collapsed.

"Piplup is defeated. Dewgong is the winner! Victory goes to Misty!" Brock said. Misty took off her skirt (under which she wore a bikini bottom), jumped into the water and gave Dewgong a hug. "That was awesome!"

"Dew gong gong gong!" her Pokemon replied.

"That's so cute!" Dawn said, carrying her defeated Piplup.

When Misty returned Dewgong to its Poke Ball, she came out of the water, dried herself using a towel and received a kiss from Ash. Then, Dawn complimented her. "That was awesome!"

"Thank you," Misty replied. "You did fine too."

"Thanks," Dawn said. Then, our heroes walked back to the hotel.

While walking, Dawn talked to her partner. "Zoey, I'm about to fangirl squeal about Misty. She's so awesome!"

"I agree," Zoey replied. "She seems kind, she's a good trainer and she looks awesome. She doesn't seem to have any flaws at all!"

"Just wait until you feel her raging right fist!" Ash joked.

"What did you say, Ash Ketchum?" Misty shouted, then hitting him softly as a joke. She realized that her boyfriend was right, so she didn't want to hit him.

"Um... Zoey, Misty is indeed nice, but she does have an anger problem," Brock said.

Then, they reached the hotel and went to the big dinner room. There were two people there. One of them was a purple-haired girl, the other one a green-haired guy.


	25. Chapter 25

"Hi Cilan! Hi Iris!" Ash said, while shaking hands with the green-haired guy.

"Hey Ash, long time no see!" Cilan replied.

"Nice to see you again, and you're still such a kid!" Iris said to Ash.

"What are you two doing here?" Tracey asked.

"Ash invited us, just like he invited you, for a reunion of all his former traveling companions, so we could be there on his birthday, and so we could support Misty together during the Whirl Cup," Cilan explained.

Then, the others introduced themselves to Iris and Cilan. After that, a group conversation started.

"Iris, how are you doing now?" Ash asked.

"Great! Cilan and I are travelling together now. I have some stronger Pokemon now, Axew is a Haxorus now. I can't keep him in my hair anymore! And to improve my battling skills, I'm challenging Gym Leaders in Sinnoh now. I have six badges," Iris answered.

"That's nice! And how about you, Cilan?" Ash asked.

"I'm an S-class Connoisseur," Cilan answered. "Now, I'm on a journey with Iris to experience love and to learn more about Pokemon in general."

"Cilan, Ash once told me you like fishing. Is that true?" Misty asked.

Then, Cilan looked in his backpack, took a rod out of it and held it up. "It's fishing time!"

"I like to fish as well!" Misty replied. "Are you good at fishing?"

"How about going to the sea now? Then I can show you my fishing skills!" Cilan proposed.

"That's a great idea!" Misty replied.

Because others didn't have any interest in fishing, Misty and Cilan went out of the hotel without other people. However, Misty did take Togetic with her.

"That's a beautiful Togetic!" Cilan complimented.

"Thank you!" Misty replied, while she and Cilan were walking to the fishing spot at the beach.

"I heard you're a Water Pokemon trainer, and when Ash told you about me, he seemed to have a crush on you. After all, I was right, even though he was too stubborn to admit it," he explained.

"True," she said. "His jealousy is so easy to trigger! Six years ago, two men on the Orange Islands were attracted to me, Danny and Rudy. I didn't have any romantic or sexual interest in them, but despite that, Ash was jealous and angry."

"That's cute," he replied. "It's not very romantic, but that way, Ash at least shows his feelings for you."

"Yeah," Misty agreed. "On my current journey with Ash, quite some guys were attracted to me. I wasn't interested in them, but Ash still got mad. And I can't blame him, I also don't want other girls to flirt with him, even when he's not interested in those girls."

"Do so many guys like you because of your personality or because of your appearance?" Cilan asked.

"Well, both…" Misty replied. "Ash truly loves me, and Rudy and Georgio had a crush on me as well. But Drew said he just sees me as hot without having a crush on me, and so did a guy in a pub some time ago," Misty answered. "Drew also likes my personality and sees me as a friend, so that's fine, but Bad Bill at the pub objectified me..."

"It's sad that some perverts objectify girls like you just because you're so beautiful and attractive," Cilan replied. "Of course I like Iris's looks, but I developed feelings for her because of her personality."

"That's romantic," Misty replied. "In relationships, it's nice when there's both romantic and physical/sexual attraction from both sides." Cilan nodded, confirming that he agreed with Misty.

"You seem like a romantic person to me," Misty replied. "You're a gentleman."

"Thanks," Cilan responded. "You're romantic too, and you also seem faithful to me. Ash is a very lucky guy!" Misty replied with a smile.

Then, they reached the fishing spot. "It's fishing time!" Cilan shouted energetically. Then, he hurled his rod with a lure modelled after him in the water.

A few minutes later, Cilan reeled in the rod: he had a bite. Then, he took his bag and sent out his Leafeon. "Leafeon, I choose you!" he shouted.

Then, he finally had the strength to reel in the rod. It was a blue and white fish Pokemon with a yellow lightbulb on his head. "Hey, a Lanturn!" Misty shouted.

"Leafeon, Solarbeam!" Cilan commanded. The Grass Pokemon had time to charge: Lanturn was stuck on the rod and couldn't break free. Then, the attack hit the Water Pokemon, who was defeated.

It's Lanturn catching time!" he shouted. Then, he threw a Lure Ball, capturing the Lanturn. He and his Leafeon cheered.

"Well done, congratulations with your Lanturn!" Misty complimented.

"You're welcome," Cilan replied.

Then, they walked back to the hotel.

"You really seem like a nice person to me," Cilan said.

"You're kind too, Iris is lucky!" Misty replied.

"What Pokemon did you fish up?" he asked.

"Well, my Tentacruel was caught in Ecruteak City," Misty answered. "And I caught Goldeen years ago when fishing, that's a Seaking now," she answered.

"That's nice," he replied.

Then, they arrived at the hotel again. It was late in the evening, so they went straight to bed. Ash was already waiting for Misty. She undressed, put on her pyjamas, brushed her teeth and went to bed.

"And, did Cilan catch something?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, he caught a Lanturn," Misty answered.

"That's nice," he replied.

"Good night, Ash," she said.

"Good night, Misty," he replied.

Meanwhile, Tracey didn't go to bed yet. He didn't have a birthday present for Ash yet, but instead of just giving him money, he wanted something original. Then, out of nowhere, he got a brilliant idea. "I'm gonna sneak in Ash's and Misty's room and draw them!" he thought. "That'll be an original birthday gift!"

He sneaked to the door of their room, softly opened the door and sat down on a chair in their hotel room. Then, he took his art supplies. However, what he saw didn't inspire him. "Well, they look cute together, but they're not hugging in their sleep, or doing something that'll make my drawing nice or original..."

Then, he got it. "I'm gonna draw them more intimate, that'll make it cuter and nicer!" And so, he did that. He left out the shoulder straps of Misty's pyjamas, so she looked like she was naked on the drawing. Then, he drew Ash closer to Misty, and he also decided to draw Ash like he's not wearing pyjamas.

At five o'clock at night, Tracey was finally finished. He packed up his art supplies and left the hotel room, and was able to do that without waking Ash or Misty up! "This is so awesome!" Tracey thought. "Ash is gonna love this!"

Three hours later, the alarm clock in Ash's and Misty's hotel room went off. Misty turned it off, and decided to surprise Ash, who was able to sleep through the noise of the alarm clock.

Misty gave the sleeping Ash a hug, and said "good morning, sweetie!" Then, she kissed her boyfriend on his cheek. "Happy seventeenth birthday!"

"Zzz... Thank you..." Ash murmured, while still being sleepy.

Thirty minutes later, our heroes were in the big eating room of the hotel. There, Ash heard his friends singing. "Happy birthday to Ash, happy birthday to Ash! Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to Ash!"

Then, Cilan spoke up. "It's present time!" he shouted. He and Iris gave Ash 500 Poke Dollar.

"Thanks, guys!" Ash replied.

"You're welcome!" Cilan said.

After that, Max, May and Drew gave their present to Ash. The birthday boy opened the big, yellow box: five bags of his favourite crisps!

"Thanks!" Ash said, opening one bag of crisps to start eating.

"We knew you'd like this," Drew replied.

Dawn and Zoey also gave Ash a present. "Here, Ash! We won this in a lottery, but we thought you could use this more than we do."

Ash thanked the girls, and opened the present. It was a book: "Teaching your Pokemon strong attacks for dummies", written by Professor Ivy.

"Well, Ash, you're a kid who never uses strategy, but this present might help you to win the League!" Iris teased, causing Ash to look a bit annoyed.

Then, it was time for Tracey and Daisy to give Ash their presents. Instead of one present as a couple, they had two separate presents. First, Daisy handed over her present: a picture of herself wearing her yellow bathing suit. "If you want to see an actually hot girl, don't look at Misty, just use this picture." The Sensational Sister bursted out in laughter, angering Misty. However, she kept her self-control and didn't hit Daisy. She would've loved to snap at Daisy using harsh cursewords, or to give her a big slap in the face, but she knew that would only have bad consequences for her.

"And, Ash, what do you think of that?" Daisy asked.

"I don't like it, Misty is better looking than you. And she has a nicer personality!" Ash snapped, ripping the picture apart in two.

"Ash, that was awesome!" Misty said, after giving him a cheek-kiss, causing Ash to blush and gush.

"I also have a nice present for you," Tracey mentioned, handing over his sexy and intimate drawing of Ash and Misty.

"How did you make that?" Ash asked, while all others stood around him to look at the drawing.

"I sneaked up into your room and drew this last night," Tracey admitted.

"So, Ash, did you and Misty have a good time tonight?" Dawn asked in a teasing manner.

"So that's what sex looks like!" Max shouted.

"Well, Ash, I see you also discovered the pleasures of sharing the bed with an attractive girl!" Brock said.

"Hey, Tracey, why did you do that? We didn't have sex last night!" Ash snapped.

"And I wasn't naked!" Misty added to that.

"I know, but if I drew what I really saw, it would be a bit boring. Now, it looks more intimate and cuter," Tracey replied.

"You're embarrassing me!" Ash snapped.

"Well, do you like the drawing itself?" Tracey asked.

"Yeah, it's cute!" Ash replied. "And you're a good artist."

"Thank you," Tracey replied.

Then, Brock handed over his present: a cookbook. "Misty told me that she can't cook well herselves, and that your food is at least not terrible, but you can still improve. This will help you with that. And it's also Lucy's present, both she and I paid half for this cookbook."

"Thank you," Ash said. "Maybe I can use this to make my stomach happier!"

Then, it was time for Misty to give her boyfriend a present. She handed over the Ash lure. "Happy birthday, Ash! Here you are!"

Ash looked at the fishing lure. He saw that it was modelled after him, and that it was a piece of marvellous craftsmanship. "Thank you so much! I'll cherish this forever! It fits my Misty lure!" he shouted. "This is the best present of all!" he added to that, making Misty happy but disappointing the others.

"And, are you happy with all your presents?" Misty asked.

"Yes, this is an awesome birthday so far!" Ash replied.

"It's battle time!" Cilan shouted. And he was right: it was time for everyone to go to the stadium, to see Misty's next Whirl Cup battle.

One hour later, our heroes, except for Misty were on the stand. Ash took Togetic and Hoppip with him, to cheer for Misty. Meanwhile, the Water Pokemon Master in making was ready to battle, just like her opponent, Trinity.

"This is an official Whirl Cup battle between Misty and Trinity. Both trainers will use two Pokemon. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals. When both Pokemon of one trainer are defeated, the other trainer will win. Choose your Pokemon!" the referee shouted.

"Gyarados, you did well against Misty six years ago and now you're gonna do it again. Gyarados, go!" Trinity shouted, hurling her Poke Ball.

"Well, I'll counter Gyarados with Gyarados!" Misty said. A Pokemon similar to Trinity's appeared from the Poke Ball.

"Begin!" the referee said.

"Gyarados, Thunderbolt!" Misty shouted. Her Gyarados charged up, and gave the opponent a big, long-lasting shock.

"That's an awesome start!" Cilan said.

"Hmm... I'm not too sure..." Brock moaned.

"Why not?" Max asked.

"Her Gyarados doesn't seem to have suffered a lot of damage..." Brock muttered.

Unfortunately, Brock was right, Trinity's Gyarados was able to shrug off the damage without suffering a lot of pain.

"Now, Hyper Beam!" Trinity commanded. Her Gyarados aimed at Misty's, and gave it a harsh blow, using it's strongest attack on full power. Misty's Gyarados was unable to continue the battle!

"Misty's Gyarados is defeated, Trinity's Gyarados is the winner!" the referee shouted.

"Oh no, this is horrible..." Tracey whined.

"Six years ago, Trinity's Gyarados defeated Misty's first Pokemon in one hit too, putting her at a great disadvantage early in battle... " Ash said.

Misty returned Gyarados to its Poke Ball. "I need to beat Gyarados now, and also pick a Pokemon that can do well against whatever Pokemon Trinity uses now... I want to use Seadra to abuse Chinchou's lack of speed, but can Seadra do well against Gyarados too?" she asked herself.

Then, she made up her mind. "Seadra, everything depends on you!" she shouted. However, before she was able to grab the right Poke Ball from her bag, Psyduck came out of its Poke Ball!

"Psyduck, what the f*ck! Now there's no way I'm gonna win this anymore! You just ruined the most important battle of my life!" Misty snapped at the mentally handicapped duck, who was splashing in the water, barely being able to not drown.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Psyduck, let's make the best of this so I at least won't get embarrassed... Water Gun!" Misty commanded. However, Psyduck didn't listen, he only tried to prevent himself from drowning.

"Gyarados, this is a piece of cake," Trinity said. "Bite!" The sea snake put his jaws on Psyduck, who was getting a strong headache, triggering his psychic powers.

"Psyduck, use your Psychic!" Misty commanded. Now he had a headache, he was able to attack, moving Trinity's Gyarados up and down and smaking it against the walls of the battlefield with its psychic powers.

"Gyarados is defeated! Psyduck is the winner," the referee said, while looking at Psyduck, who was barely able to avoid drowning, much to Misty's embarrassment.

"Yay, that was awesome, Psyduck!" Misty complimented.

Meanwhile, on the stand, Psyduck brought Misty's friends some optimism. "If Psyduck can do this again, Misty will win!" Ash said.

"Well, will Trinity be stupid enough to hit Psyduck on the head again?" Brock doubted.

"We'll have to hope that Trinity's next Pokemon will accidentally hit Psyduck on the head..." Lucy muttered.

"Chinchou, I choose you!" Trinity shouted, sending the Electric Pokemon to battle.

"Psyduck, try your Psychic again!" Misty tried. However, the duck lost his headache and was unable to attack. He was able to avoid drowning by finally getting on a piece of land on the battlefield, but not much more than that.

"Chinchou, use your Thunderbolt!" Trinity commanded. A big shock was shot at Psyduck. Ten seconds after being hit, Psyduck finally felt the pain and started running around like he was crazy, much to the audience's pleasure. The people on the stands were laughing so loud, that they influenced the battle: this caused Psyduck to get another headache!

"Psyduck, Psybeam!" Misty commanded. The duck had a headache that was severe enough to trigger its powers, enabling him to fire a coloured ray at the overconfident Chinchou. The Electric Pokemon was unable to take this blow, causing it to collapse.

"Chinchou is defeated, Psyduck is the winner! Victory goes to Misty, who will advance to the quarterfinals!" the referee announced.

"We did it!" Misty shouted. "Psy..." her Pokemon said. "Psyduck, you were awesome. Sorry for snapping at you earlier, you deserve a nice long rest." She grabbed a Poke Ball from her bag, returning the duck to its Poke Ball.

"Your win was undeserved and very lucky, but I have to admit that your Psyduck overpowered my Pokemon. Congratulations, and I'll be cheering for you in the next round," Trinity said to her opponent, while the people in the stadium showed their support for Psyduck by singing his name.

Two hours and a long press conference later, Misty saw her friends waiting for her outside the stadium. "Misty, what took you so long?" Ash asked.

"Sorry, the journalists kept asking me questions about Psyduck and I wanted to be kind, so I answered them all..." Misty moaned.

"I understand. Congratulations with your win, even though it was very lucky!" he said.

"Well, thanks. And you're right, Trinity deserved to win, Psyduck might've never been able to win without the audience laughing too loud," Misty admitted.

"Ash, what do you want to do now?" Cilan asked. "It's your birthday."

"I have another birthday surprise for Ash," Misty said. "Let's go back to the hotel!"

And so, our heroes walked to the hotel. "I can't wait to see what surprise Misty has for me!" Ash thought.

At the hotel, there were a lot of different kinds of food on the big dinner table. Then, a brown-haired woman appeared, walking at Ash and saying "Happy birthday, son!" It was his mother, Delia.

"Mom!" Ash shouted, giving his mother a hug. He didn't feel like it, but he knew his mother wanted it.

"Misty, is this your surprise? Thank you so much!" Ash said.

"You're welcome! And she made all this food for us!" Misty responded, showing a big smile.

"Ash, are you wearing fresh underwear today?" Delia asked.

"No, the same as yesterday…" Ash moaned.

"Then you can't have dinner until you change your underwear!" she snapped. Ash knew he wanted food, so he went to his hotel room and changed his underwear.

"Good, Ash!" Delia said. Then, everyone started eating. While Cilan, Drew and Misty were eating neatly, Ash ate like a pig.

"And, do you like the food?" Misty asked, while enjoying the nice meal herself.

"Yeah!" Ash replied, while his mouth was filled with pizza.

Two hours later, Ash finally finished eating. There was no food left: while others weren't hungry anymore, Ash kept eating until there was nothing left.

"I must go now, otherwise Mimey is gonna miss me," Delia said.

"Bye, future mother-in-law!" Misty responded.

"Bye mom!" Ash said. "Thanks for the food!"

"Bye, guys!" Delia replied. "And Ash, don't forget to wear clean underwear every day!"

Then, Cilan, who just went to the tournament schedule board in the hotel, came back. "Misty, your next opponent will be Juan, the Sootopolis City Gym Leader!"

"That'll be a tough match," Brock said.

"Ash, you went to Hoenn. You battled him. Is he good?" Misty asked.

"Yeah, he gave me a hard time, it won't be an easy battle," Ash responded.

"But if you can beat Prima, you can beat Juan too," Tracey stated.

"It's late now, let's go to bed," Cilan suggested. The others looked at the clock, and noticed that it was eleven o'clock in the evening.

After undressing, putting on their pyjamas and brushing their teeth, Ash and Misty went to bed.

"Well, it was an awesome birthday. Too bad the party is over..." Ash moaned.

"Is there any reason why it has to end?" Misty asked, giving Ash a naughty smile.

"Hmm... You're right!" he responded.

"Tracey was one night too early with his drawing!" she joked, causing him to laugh.

"Pikachu and Togetic are already asleep," he said.

"They're so cute together!" she responded.

One hour and some hot action later, Ash fell asleep. And even though she was excited to battle Juan tomorrow morning, so did Misty.


	26. Chapter 26

The next day, Misty stood in the stadium. She was ready for an important battle. After her good battles against Andreas and Prima, she needed a lot of luck to defeat Trinity. Today, it was time for her to win some confidence back. However, that was easier said than done: her opponent for today was Juan, the Sootopolis City Gym Leader.

Then, Juan arrived on the other side of the battlefield. "Misty, I've seen some of your battles before, and you impressed me. Good luck!"

"Thank you, and good luck," Misty replied. "My boyfriend Ash battled you six years ago, and he told me you're a good trainer."

Then, the referee started explaining the rules. "This is a two versus two Pokemon battle. There is no time limit. This battle ends when two Pokemon of one trainer have been defeated. The winner will go on to the semifinals of this tournament. Trainers, choose your Pokemon!"

"Crawdaunt, I choose you!" Juan shouted, while hurling a Poke Ball, causing a red, crab-like Pokemon to appear in the water.

Then, Misty decided what Pokemon she'd use. "Seaking, I choose you!" The red fish appeared in the water.

"Start!" the referee shouted.

"Seaking, let's start with a Horn Attack!" Misty commanded. The fish swam at its opponent at high speed, aiming at the crab with its strong horn.

"Crawdaunt, avoid the attack and use your Crabhammer," Juan said calmly. Crawdaunt swam aside just in time to avoid the Horn Attack, and punched Seaking underwater with the strong Crabhammer.

"Crawdaunt, now use Whirlpool!" the Sootopolis Gym Leader commanded. And so, water started spinning, creating a major tornado. Seaking, just hit by Crabhammer was unable to avoid getting in the whirlpool. The fish was shaked around, suffering a lot of pain. Misty was watching, now knowing what to do. Physical attacks weren't an option now, and a Water Gun wouldn't work: because Seaking was spinning around, it would be unable to aim at Crawdaunt.

Then, she got it. "Seaking, Ice Beam!" The red fish Pokemon started shooting ice, and in a short amount of time, the entire whirlpool was frozen!

"And now break out with your Megahorn!" its trainer commanded. Seaking rammed the ice with its horn, breaking out of it.

"Now, Seaking, Body Slam from the air on Crawdaunt!" Misty commanded. Seaking hurled itself at Crawdaunt, hitting the slow crab from above, not allowing the opponent to avoid the attack. Juan was shocked, seeing that his Pokemon was severely damaged by this attack.

"I'm a top Coordinator, and this strategy even amazed me!" Juan said to his opponent. Then, he concentrated on battling again. "Crawdaunt, Tackle!" The crab swam at Seaking at high speed.

"We've got him!" Misty thought. Then, she told Seaking what to do. "When Crawdaunt is about to hit you, give him a Megahorn he'll never forget!" Then, Seaking charged into the opponent, delivering a final blow.

"Crawdaunt is defeated. Seaking is the winner!" the referee stated.

"That was awesome, Seaking!" Misty complimented.

"Well done, Misty. But this battle isn't over yet," Juan said. Then, he took a Poke Ball from his belt. "Walrein, go!"

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Seaking, Tackle!" Misty commanded. The fish swam at the big sea lion, who didn't take any damage, bouncing Seaking back.

"Walrein, Giga Impact!" Juan commanded. The walrus swam at the tired Seaking, who wasn't capable to avoid the very strong attack, even though Walrein was a slow Pokemon. The red fish got hit by the heavy and sturdy Walrein, defeating it.

"Seaking is unable to battle, Walrein is the winner," the referee said.

"Well, when Misty tries contest strategies, no need to worry!" Dawn said, while sitting on the stands.

"Well, Juan has one more Pokemon, and I'm afraid it'll be a stronger one than this already strong Crawdaunt..." Brock responded.

"Seaking, you were awesome today. Have some rest," Misty said, returning the red fish to its Poke Ball. Then, she took another Poke Ball from her bag. "Seadra, I choose you!" Unlike the battle against Trinity, in which Psyduck came out of his Poke Ball, Seadra came out like intended.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Seadra, let's start with a Bubblebeam," Misty said. Bubbles were shot at Walrein, who was able to shrug off the attack with relative ease.

"Walrein, Earthquake!" Juan commanded. The Ice Pokemon started splashing, causing the battlefield to shake. A strong wave was created, which crashed down on Seadra, causing the blue seahorse some severe damage in one hit.

"Wow, Walrein sure is strong..." Misty thought. "Seadra, try an Ice Beam!" Seadra fired a cold beam at the defensive behemoth, causing only little damage and not freezing the Ice Pokemon.

Misty started to get worried. "Ice won't work, water won't work, Seaking's Tackle showed that physical attacks won't do a lot of damage, what more can I do?" she thought.

"Walrein, Ice Beam!" Juan commanded.

"Seadra, evade and then try a Twister!" Misty shouted. First, the seahorse dodged the ice, then causing the water under Walrein to spin, forming a twister. However, Walrein was too heavy to lift up or to get sucked in the Twister!

"Well, your Seadra is strong, but sheer force won't be enough," Juan replied. "Walrein, use your Hyper Beam!" The Ice Pokemon aimed a strong beam at Misty's Pokemon, who got hit by the strong blow. Seadra looked very tired, Misty knew he couldn't keep battling for much longer.

"Seadra, can you go on?" Misty asked. The Pokemon nodded "yes", he didn't want to give in.

"Misty, I respect you as a trainer. Why don't you just give in? Seadra can't significantly damage Walrein, and Seadra can't keep this up much longer," Juan suggested.

Misty's face got all red. "Never!" she snapped. "Unless my Pokemon want to quit, I'll NEVER give in!" Then, she looked at Seadra, who was very, very angry about Juan's comment. Steam came from its ears.

Meanwhile, on the stand, there was a conversation going.

"Why is Misty's face all red?" Zoey asked.

"She's getting mad!" Ash replied, who knew this from experience.

"Then I hope she won't get violent, I'm afraid she will..." Brock worried.

"Well, the last few times when she got mad, she didn't beat up anyone," Drew contradicted Brock's expectation.

"Seadra, try a Hydro Pump!" Misty commanded. The angry Pokemon shot water at Walrein at high power. This time, Seadra managed to do significant damage on the slow, defensive Ice Pokemon.

"That was good, but Seadra can't just keep firing Hydro Pumps over and over until Walrein is defeated, Seadra is too tired," Misty thought. "This battle shouldn't last much longer, Seadra will need to finish this soon..."

"Walrein, Earthquake!" Juan commanded. A strong wave was caused by the shaking battlefield, smacking Seadra against the walls of the battlefield.

"Seadra, no!" Misty shouted.

On the stands, Misty's friends were talking about the battle. "Do you think this is the end?" Tracey asked.

"Well, I can't see Seadra winning this anymore..." Daisy replied. Meanwhile, Ash was thinking the same as Misty's sister, and he shed a few tears, being afraid that his girlfriend's dream of winning the Whirl Cup would be shattered today.

"Hey, look!" Max said, showing a big smile, pointing at Misty's Pokemon, who was still able to battle! "Seadra isn't defeated!"

Then, Misty was thinking about what to do now. She knew Seadra couldn't beat Walrein with strength. And so, she decided to try winning the battle using speed. "Seadra, use your Agility to swim in circles around Walrein!" And so, Seadra swam at Walrein at high speed, and started swimming in circles. The Ice Pokemon tried to keep track of where Misty's Pokemon was, and got dizzy.

"Good, Seadra! Now use Flash Cannon!" Misty commanded. A silver beam was shot at Walrein from a small distance, causing the attack to hit the Ice Pokemon harshly.

"Walrein, try to aim well and use Water Gun!" Juan tried. The walrus tried to aim at Seadra, but instead, a weak ray of water ended up hitting Juan softly, causing the audience to laugh!

"Now, Seadra, throw all your anger at that damn Walrein in a very strong Outrage!" Misty shouted. Seadra's eyes started glowing red, then the blue seahorse charged into Walrein, giving the Ice Pokemon a beating it'll never forget.

"No, Walrein!" Juan shouted, while looking at his Pokemon. Walrein was defeated!

"Walrein is unable to battle, Seadra is the winner. Victory goes to Misty, who will go on to the semifinals!" the referee said.

While Juan and Misty complimented their Pokemon for a great battle and returning them to their Poke Balls, Ash, Pikachu, Hoppip and Togetic went crazy, cheering for Misty. Meanwhile, Drew and May gave each other a celebration hug.

Dawn and Zoey were impressed. "She'd make a good Coordinator," Dawn said.

"I agree," Zoey said. Then, she thought "hey, maybe Dawn and I should introduce her into contests!"

"Well, I thought it was gonna be sad time, but now... IT'S HAPPY TIME!" Cilan shouted, causing Iris to laugh.

"That was one of the most exciting battles I've ever seen," Lucy said.

Meanwhile, Juan walked up to his opponent. "Misty, you fought back after being in a dire situation and even won. I never expected this. You impressed me so much!"

"Thank you so much!" Misty replied. "That's so awesome to hear from someone as good as you!"

"You're welcome," Juan responded. "You are one of the most awesome trainers I've ever seen! I hope you'll win, you deserve it. And not just for this battle, but also for your others. Your Politoed showed so much perseverance against Andreas because he loves you, because you treat him well. And you defeated Prima with relative ease, that's an unique achievement! And even in a bad battle, you're able to win with a Pokemon that doesn't even listen to you! And now this! From now on, I'm a fan of yours!"

"Thank you so much! Thank you!" Misty replied, being happier than ever before.

"And as a fan of yours, could I please have a signature?" Juan asked, holding up a piece of paper and a pencil.

"Of course," Misty replied, putting her signature on the paper. "I loved this battle, this was the best battle of my life!"

"Even though I lost, I totally agree," Juan replied.

"I have to go to the press conference now. Bye!" Misty said.

"Bye! And I'll be cheering for you in this stadium tomorrow!" Juan responded.

Then, after a long press conference and handing out a lot of signatures to fans, Misty finally went out of the stadium, where her friends were waiting.

"Misty, that was awesome!" Ash complimented, hugging his girlfriend.

"Misty, it seems like you are becoming quite the star, with all those fanboys!" Brock said.

"Thank you!" Misty responded.

"When I watched this battle, I got a nice idea," Zoey said.

"What is it?" Misty asked.

"Shall Dawn and I introduce you into contests? I discussed it with her while we were waiting for you," Zoey proposed.

"I don't think I want to be a Coordinator, but I think it would be interesting to learn more about it," Misty replied. "And I might learn some techniques I could use in my battles. But where will we do that?"

"On this island, there's a Contest Hall. There's no contest now, but we can practice appeals there," Dawn answered. "We already asked Nurse Joy to judge our appeals!"

"Excuse me, but could I come along too? I've always been interested into contests, so two Coordinators explaining would be a good way to learn more," Cilan asked.

"Sure," Dawn replied. "No need to worry!"

"Is anyone else interested?" Zoey asked. No one else was interested, so while Zoey, Dawn, Misty and Cilan went to the Contest Hall, they went to the hotel.

While walking to the hotel, Iris felt uncomfortable. She walked to Ash and said "Ash, could I please discuss something with you?"

"Sure, what is it?" Ash asked.

"Well, have you noticed that Misty and Cilan are getting along very well lately?" Iris asked.

"Yeah, it's nice that they're getting along," Ash replied.

"You're such a kid!" she snapped.

"Why? Is it bad that they're getting along?" he asked.

"Don't you get it? I'm afraid Cilan might be developing a crush on Misty!" she suggested. "And maybe Misty might be growing to like him too..."

"Misty is faithful, she wouldn't cheat on me!" Ash snapped.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu snapped, who was sitting on Ash's left shoulder.

"Well, as long as they're doing this contest thing while we aren't around, they might flirt all the time," Iris replied. "And then, if they grow to like each other, they could dump us and get together..."

Then, Ash started to agree with Iris. "Come on, Iris! Let's spy on them!" he suggested.

Iris went to Brock, coming up with a lie in order to do what Ash suggested. "Ash and I are going to buy some stuff, we'll see you in the afternoon again."

"Okay, bye!" Brock replied.

And so, Ash and Iris went to the Contest Hall, which wasn't very far away. There, they hid under some chairs on the stand, looking at and listening to what was happening. There, they saw Nurse Joy sitting at a table. First, Cilan came out of a room, wearing a fancy, black tuxedo and a red tie. Then, he elegantly hurled a Poke Ball. "Leafeon, I choose you!"

"I bet he wears that suit to be romantic, to seduce Misty," Iris replied.

"Hmm... Misty doesn't look particulary interested..." Ash replied, looking at his girlfriend, who only paid attention to the Grass Pokemon. Leafeon first used Razor Leaf, and then he cut the leaves with X-Scissor.

"Cilan, that was very nice!" Misty replied, much to Ash's annoyance.

"During a Contest, in the appeal rounds, you should aim for showing coolness, cuteness or beauty," Zoey explained to Misty. "You need to make a good first impression."

"That makes sense," Misty replied.

"Cilan, this was very nice for a first appeal. Your Leafeon looks cool, you look cool in that outfit, and Leafeon's moves look cool. I'll give you eight points out of ten as a grade," Nurse Joy rated.

Then, it took some time before Dawn came out of the dressing room. She was sitting in front of the mirror. "I can't get my hair right..." she moaned. Then, Zoey entered the dressing room. "Do you need some help?" Zoey asked.

"Thanks," Dawn replied, while Zoey was able to do her partner's blue hair right.

Then, Dawn came out of the dressing room, together with her Typhlosion. She walked up the stage, starting her appeal. "Typhlosion, make a ring of fire with your Flamethrower!" Typhlosion did what he was told to do.

"And now jump through the ring of fire!" Dawn shouted. The Fire Pokemon did that, showing a cool appeal.

"That was so cool!" Iris said.

"Dawn, you're a great Coordinator and this move was also nice. I'll give you nine out of ten!" Nurse Joy judged.

"Thanks!" Dawn replied. Then, Zoey, who was dressed up in a tuxedo similar to Cilan's went on the stage, together with her Mismagius.

Ash and Iris saw Zoey's Mismagius using Shadow Ball multiple, and then moving the Shadow Balls around with Psychic, causing Nurse Joy to give a rate of eight out of ten.

Then, Misty went to the dressing room. There wasn't much to change for her: she already wore her bikini and skirt, she only added a black lace belly top with spaghetti straps, causing her to look even more elegant than she already did. At that moment, Zoey suddenly entered the dressing room. "Misty, your hair is beautiful, but do you want a contest hairdo? I can brush your hair if you want to."

"No, sorry, I like my current hairdo," Misty replied. "But thank you for the offer! You're a helpful person."

"Thanks," Zoey replied. Then, they came out of the dressing room.

"Misty, you look stunning!" Cilan replied, noticing Misty's elegance.

"Ash, I wanna stop spying now, I wanna go there and take Cilan away from Misty as soon as possible! I can't take it anymore!" Iris whispered.

"Wait, maybe he just sees her as beautiful without seeing her as hot," Ash replied.

Then, Togetic went up on the stage with her trainer. "Togetic, let's start with a Water Pulse, and then use Aura Sphere on the water!" First, Misty's Pokemon shot some water out of her mouth, then a blue ball of energy got shot at the water, causing a rainbow to appear. Cilan, Zoey and Dawn gave Misty and Togetic a standing ovation.

Then, Nurse Joy gave her review. "That was awesome! Togetic showed very beautiful and elegant moves, and your clothes also reflect that: you have a beautiful figure and your outfit is elegant. This is perfect! I'd rate this ten out of ten!"

"Thank you so much!" Misty responded happily.

"Misty, you could become a Top Coordinator if you would want that!" Dawn complimented.

"Thank you!" Misty replied. "But I'd rather focus on battling. It was interesting to learn more about contests, but I'm not becoming a Coordinator."

"I respect that," Zoey said. "You are also good with Water Pokemon, you're a skilled battler, so I understand why you want to fully go for that. Giving your all for one goal is better than giving half for two goals."

"That's also what I think," Misty replied.

"But you can use contest techniques in your battles, like you did against Juan," Cilan suggested.

"That's nice, I'll do that," Misty responded.

"Then, there's no need to worry!" Dawn said, using her catchphrase. A few seconds later, her stomach growled. "I'm hungry," she said.

"It's lunch time!" Cilan said.

"Let's go to the beach, then we can have lunch there," Misty replied. "Is that okay with you three?"

"No need to worry!" Dawn used her catchphrase.

Then, when the contest-practicing four were out of the Contest Hall, Nurse Joy went back to the Pokemon Center, and Iris and Ash were finally able to get away under the chairs on the stand without getting seen. "Ash, don't you think Cilan is a bit too flirty?" Iris asked.

"I'm not sure..." Ash responded. "On one hand, it's just his extravagant personality, but on the other hand, you might be right... And do you think Misty has feelings for him?"

"Why do you ask me? You know her better than I do," Iris snapped. "You're such a kid!"

"Well, you're a girl, and you probably know more about romance than I do..." Ash replied.

"She hasn't shown that much feelings, but maybe she's enjoying his flirty behaviour..." Iris moaned.

"Let's follow them!" Ash suggested.

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu said, showing that he agreed with Ash.

"Okay," Iris replied.

And so, Ash, Pikachu and Iris went out of the contest hall. Then, they ran to the beach, where they saw that Dawn, Zoey, Cilan and Misty just arrived there. "Let's hide behind the bushes!" Iris suggested.

"That's a good idea," Ash said.

From behind the bushes, Ash and Iris saw their friends putting their towels down, so that they could sit or even sunbathe on these. Then, Dawn and Zoey took off their contest outfits, they already wore matching pink, one-piece swimsuits under their contest clothes. Then, Cilan took off his contest outfit, already wearing swimming trunks. Lastly, Misty took off her skirt and her top, wearing a black bikini underneath.

Then, Cilan looked at Misty and said "it's sexy time!" He wasn't seriously attracted to Misty, but he thought it would be funny. This comment caused Iris to freak out. Ash tried to stop her, even though he was also annoyed, thinking that Cilan was trying to steal his girlfriend away, but it was too late to stop Iris. "CILAN! WHY DO YOU CHEAT ON ME LIKE THIS? F*CK YOU!" she shouted.

"Hey, I heard someone shouting from behind the bushes," Misty said.

"Me too, let's see what that was," Cilan replied. Then, he walked to the bushes, and saw Ash and Iris sitting there. "Ash? Iris? What are you two doing here?"

"Cilan, why are you flirting with Misty?" Iris asked.

"Flirting? What are you talking about?" Cilan asked.

"When you saw Misty wearing a bikini, you said it's sexy time!" Iris snapped.

"I was just joking..." Cilan replied.

"Then why did you constantly compliment her contest techniques and her beautiful appearance?" Iris asked. "Those comments on her appearance made me think you see her as hot..."

"Because she's a very skilled trainer, and because she's beautiful and elegant," Cilan answered.

"But do you see her as hot?" Iris asked.

"No. Honestly, I don't," Cilan answered.

"Okay, sorry for being so suspicious..." Iris apologised.

Then, Ash and Misty started talking. "Misty, do you have feelings for Cilan?" Ash asked.

"Of course not. I only have feelings for you and I've never had any feelings for anyone else!" Misty responded.

"And how would you describe the relationship between you and Cilan?" Ash asked.

"Well, Cilan and I get along nicely, so we could be good friends, but there's no romantic or sexual attraction at all," Misty replied. Ash knew that Misty was being honest.

"Are you mad at me for spying on you?" Ash asked. He felt ashamed because of the embarrassing situation.

"No, I'm not mad. It was just a misunderstanding. But really, you have a jealousy problem," Misty responded. "But I can't be mad, no one likes it when they're afraid someone is trying to steal their partner away. And I can see why you interpretated Cilan's behaviour as flirting, even though it's just his extravagant personality."

"I'm glad you understand," Ash responded. "I know from experience that you would do the same when other girls seem interested in me."

"I can't deny that," Misty replied.

"Then, is this all worked out now?" Zoey asked.

"Sure," Misty replied.

"Let's go back to the hotel," Cilan suggested.

There, they saw the drawing for the semifinals. While Wallace had to battle Cissy, Misty's opponent would be Marina, her rival.

One day later, Misty and Marina stood in the stadium, during a battle. Just before the battle between Misty and Marina, Wallace defeated Cissy, causing him to advance to the final round of the Whirl Cup. On the scoreboard, people could see that Misty's Luvdisc and Marina's Golduck were defeated. Meanwhile, Misty's Dewgong was battling against Marina's Starmie. Ash, May, Max, Drew, Tracey, Daisy, Dawn, Zoey, Iris, Cilan, Hoppip, Pikachu and Togetic were cheering for Misty.

"Dewgong, dive underwater and then use Headbutt!" Misty commanded. The blue sea lion went down, and then shattered the star's defense, causing it to get defeated.

"Starmie, no!" Marina shouted.

"Starmie is defeated, Dewgong is the winner! Victory goes to Misty, who will battle Wallace in the final round!" the referee announced.

Misty thanked Dewgong, took off her skirt and jumped in the water of the battlefield, to give Dewgong a hug. "That was awesome, Dewgong! Thanks to you, we'll advance to the final round!"

"Dew gong gong gong!" the white Pokemon replied, thanking his trainer for the compliments. Tomorrow, Misty would battle Wallace in the battle of her life, thanks to her Pokemon and her skills. Even the ones who didn't battle helped her: on the stands were her two cheerleaders, Hoppip and Togetic.


	27. Chapter 27

The next morning, Misty woke up early. Today was her big day: the Whirl Cup final against Wallace. She did her daily morning routine of taking a shower, brushing her teeth, brushing her hair and putting her clothes on. Today, for this special occasion, she wore an elegant, strapless black dress that showed off her beautiful curves. Then, she went downstairs, to the big eating room in the hotel. There, Drew and Cilan were already sitting at the big eating table.

"Good morning, Misty," Cilan said.

"You look beautiful as always," Drew added.

"Thank you, guys!" Misty responded, while Brock and Lucy came downstairs.

"And, Misty, are you going to win today?" Drew asked.

"Well, I'm a little nervous, but that's normal for such a big battle. I rely on my Pokemon," Misty answered.

Then, Ash came downstairs, together with Pikachu and Togetic. "Misty, don't say a word like that again! There's no reason to be nervous! You and your Pokemon trained very hard, pretty much every day of our journey. And you battled a lot too! You are gonna beat Wallace today and that's that!"

"Ash, you were nervous for big battles too..." Misty teased. "Do you remember your first League battle ever, against Mandi in the Kanto League? You were nervous back then!"

"That was my first League battle, what else would you expect?" Ash snapped, while May and Max came downstairs too.

"And how about your Orange League final against Drake?" Misty asked.

Ash sighed. Knowing that his girlfriend was right, Ash didn't know what to say.

"Um... Misty is right, Ash," Tracey said. He, Daisy, Dawn and Zoey were just in time to hear the conversation about being nervous.

"Misty, what Pokemon are you going to use?" Zoey asked, in an attempt to change the conversation topic.

"Tentacruel and Dewgong," Misty answered.

"Why?" Dawn asked.

"Well, when it comes to sheer power, most of my Pokemon can't compete with Wallace's, but Tentacruel and Dewgong do have those amounts of sheer power," Misty responded, while Drew was staring at her chest.

"That's a smart choice," Brock complimented.

"That makes sense," Lucy stated.

Then, a pink Pokemon came out of a Poke Ball in Misty's bag. "Hoppip!" he cheered, while hugging his trainer.

"Hoppip, you'll have to be with Ash during the battle. I want you to listen to him. Is that understood?" Misty asked. Her Pokemon nodded.

One hour later, our heroes all were to the big stadium. There, they saw a big crowd of Wallace fans. "Wow, Wallace sure does have a lot of fans..." Misty thought. She was standing on her spot, just in front of the battlefield. Then, she looked at her friends, who were cheering for her. Dawn even wore her cheerleader outfit, while Pikachu, Togetic and Hoppip cheered more fanatically than ever before. Meanwhile, Brock and Lucy were playing childish kissing games on the stand.

"Do you think Misty stands a chance, Brock?" Max asked.

"I think so. But it won't be an easy battle..." Brock answered, while he saw Misty and Wallace standing on their spots in front of the battlefield, ready to battle.

Then, the referee stepped forward. "This is the Whirl Cup final! Both trainers will use two Pokemon. When both Pokemon of one Trainer are defeated, that Trainer loses. There is no time limit. Choose your Pokemon!"

First, Wallace took a Poke Ball from his belt, and hurled it in the air. "Ludicolo, I choose you!" he said, while a happy Pokemon stood on the small piece of land on the battlefield.

Then, Misty sent out the Pokemon she planned to use. "Tentacruel, go!" The strong, blue jellyfish appeared in the water.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Tentacruel, let's start with a Poison Sting!" Misty commanded. The blue jellyfish released sharp, purple needles from his stringer, shooting these at the dancing Grass Pokemon, who wasn't fast enough to avoid this blow, and ended up being severely damaged.

"That's a great start!" Ash said on the stand, showing a big smile.

"Pi Pikachu!" his Pokemon added.

"Toge Togetic!" Misty's signature Pokemon cheered.

"Hoppip!" the Grass Pokemon shouted.

"Ludicolo, are you okay?" Wallace asked.

"Ludi!" the Pokemon shouted.

"Ludicolo, Energy Ball!" the Coordinator shouted. A green blast of power was shot at Tentacruel, who avoided at first, but eventually got hit, because Ludicolo kept firing Energy Balls.

"Tentacruel, Headbutt!" Misty commanded. The jellyfish swam at his opponent, but failed to hit it, because the Grass Pokemon evaded the attack by dancing.

"Now, use Ice Beam!" the Hoenn Champion commanded. Ice was shot at the jellyfish, who got frozen!

"Oh no!" Misty thought.

"Now, freeze the rest of the battlefield with Ice Beam!" the Coordinator shouted. The dancing Pokemon shot rays of ice all over the field, causing all the water to freeze.

Misty saw her Pokemon being frozen, in a frozen field of ice. What could she do? Tentacruel was stuck in the ice and couldn't move.

"Ludicolo, let's end this with Hyper Beam!" Wallace commanded. The dancing Pokemon started charging. Misty was afraid her Pokemon wouldn't survive such a strong blow, but knew the jellyfish couldn't move in the ice.

Then, she got an idea. "Tentacruel, use Mirror Coat immediately when the ice breaks, to counter that attack!" She hoped her Pokemon was able to hear her command while he was shrouded in ice. Wallace knew he was in trouble, but when Misty finished her command, Ludicolo already shot the Hyper Beam at Tentacruel.

As predicted, the attack shattered the ice around Tentacruel. Then, the jellyfish did what Misty told him to, countering the Hyper Beam back at the dancing Grass Pokemon. Then, an explosion caused a wall of smoke.

When the smoke was gone, the spectators, referee and battlers were able to see the consequences of the countered Hyper Beam. First of all, the battlefield wasn't fully frozen anymore. At the spot where Ludicolo stood was some water now: the Hyper Beam caused some ice to melt. In the water, the referee saw the Grass Pokemon, who was defeated. Meanwhile, Tentacruel lay on the ice, trying to get up.

"Ludicolo is defeated, Tentacruel is the winner!" the referee announced.

"That was awesome!" Max said on the stands.

"Don't be too happy, Tentacruel suffered a lot of damage. It wouldn't surprise me if Tentacruel would collapse in a few seconds," Brock responded. He looked worried.

"Misty, that was very smart of you," Wallace complimented his opponent. "But this battle isn't over yet. I've won a tournament like this in Hoenn, but not in Johto, and you can't keep me from winning this tournament. Milotic, go!" The Champion hurled a Poke Ball, from which a beautiful Pokemon emerged.

"Milooo!" the Pokemon shouted.

"Wow, it's so gorgeous!" May fangirled. "That would be the perfect Contest Pokemon!"

"Oh no, it's his Milotic!" Zoey murmured. She wasn't surprised, but was shocked.

"That Pokemon is so strong..." Dawn whined. "Do you guys think Misty can beat it?"

"I'm not sure... Tentacruel is pretty much done for," Lucy answered.

"She said she'll use Dewgong next. If there's one Pokemon of her who can do it, it's Dewgong," Cilan stated.

"And Dewgong will have an advantage on the ice," Iris replied.

"And Misty is smart," Drew added.

"Begin!" the referee shouted, after noticing that Tentacruel got up.

"Tentacruel can't do much more, but I have a great idea to help Dewgong!" Misty thought. "Tentacruel, make a small pool of water by smashing the ice with Poison Jab!" The jellyfish smashed the ice with his stinger, creating some water to swim in. Then, Tentacruel continued using his stinger to smash even more ice, leaving ice on top of the battlefield aside from two pools of water, with water under the massive layer of ice. Then, Tentacruel went back to his small pool of water on the surface

"Why is she doing that?" Wallace thought. He knew Tentacruel was better in the water than on ice, but he wasn't sure what the point of this was. "Anyways, Tentacruel is exhausted, too exhausted to evade an attack now," he thought. "Milotic, Hydro Pump!" Water was shot from a long distance at the tired jellyfish, who was instantly defeated.

"Tentacruel is defeated. Milotic is the winner!" the referee shouted.

"Well done, Tentacruel. Come back!" Misty complimented her defeated Pokemon, before returning him to his Poke Ball. Then, she took a Poke Ball from her bag. "Dewgong, it all depends on you now!" she shouted.

"Dew Gong Gong Gong!" the Ice Pokemon said energetically.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Dewgong, let's start with a Horn Attack!" Misty suggested. Her Pokemon hopped at the opponent, giving it a harsh blow with his horn.

"Milotic, Iron Tail!" Wallace commanded. Dewgong jumped away just in time to avoid the tail, which was aimed at him.

"Dewgong, Aqua Tail!" Misty commanded. The Ice Pokemon jumped in the air, then he tried to hit the opponent with his tail.

"Milotic, Wrap!" Wallace shouted. The beautiful Pokemon wrapped his tail around Dewgong's tail, holding the Ice Pokemon.

"Dewgong, try to hit him with your Horn Attack!" Misty commanded. However, Milotic held the Ice Pokemon so far away from its body, that Dewgong was unable to do anything.

"Now, smack him down on the ice and then throw him away!" Wallace commanded. Milotic moved its tail up and down, smacking Dewgong on the ice multiple times. Then, it hurled its opponent away, making him crash down on the icy surface.

"Dewgong, no!" Misty shouted. The Ice Pokemon was trying to get up.

"Do you guys also think that Milotic is just too strong to defeat?" May asked.

"No! Dewgong can do it!" Cilan countered.

"I agree," Cilan said. ""Misty was able to turn the tables in previous battles, I don't see why she wouldn't be able to do that again!" Togetic, Hoppip and Pikachu seemed to side with Cilan, judging by their happy cheering.

The spectators looked at the battlefield, and saw how Dewgong was able to continue the battle. "Dewgong, use your Ice Beam to freeze the pool of water Milotic is in!" Misty shouted. And so, Dewgong caused his opponent to be stuck in one spot, limiting the majestic Milotic to long-range attacks.

"Now, Dewgong, Signal Beam!" Misty commanded. A colourful was shot at Milotic, who was stuck in the ice and unable to avoid getting hit harshly.

"Milotic, try a Water Pulse!" Wallace commanded.

"Dewgong, now go under the ice to avoid that attack, then smash the ice and hit Milotic with your Horn Drill!" Misty commanded. And so, Dewgong went under the ice, where Milotic was unable to see the Ice Pokemon.

"Milotic, when you notice the ice where you are is starting to break, use Hyper Beam!" Wallace commanded. His Pokemon started charging.

"Dewgong, turn back and don't hit him!" Misty commanded, knowing that her Pokemon would hurt himself if he'd come out of the ice and water if that would happen too close to Milotic. However, Dewgong wasn't able to hear it!

And so, Dewgong's horn shattered the ice. Then, Dewgong tried to hit Milotic with his horn, but got smacked down in the water by the strong Hyper Beam. Dewgong drifted upwards, and lay on the surface of the water.

"Dewgong, no!" Misty shouted. "Can you go on?"

"Dew..." her Pokemon muttered, attempting to get up after being hurt by another harsh blow.

"This doesn't look good..." Brock moaned.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu cheered, backed up by Togetic and Hoppip.

"Come on, Dewgong, you can do it!" Misty shouted. Then, Dewgong got up. He knew he couldn't battle for much longer, but the encouragement of his beloved trainer helped him to continue battling. He wanted to fight. He wanted to fight for his Trainer, who rescued him from the torture of having to assist her sisters during boring shows, and enabled him to do that what he loved most: battling.

Then, Dewgong turned his head and looked at Milotic. His eyes looked like they were on fire. "Dewgong!" he screamed. He looked like he was furious, ready to take all anger out on Milotic.

Wallace looked at Dewgong and got frightened. However, he remained calm and confident."Milotic, let's finish this with Iron Tail."

"Dewgong, jump and use Lick!" Misty shouted. The Ice Pokemon jumped just at the right time to prevent getting hit, and then, his tongue came out of his mouth, hitting Milotic's long tail. The beautiful Pokemon looked terrified, the Lick shocked it.

"Now, finish this with Aurora Beam!" Misty commanded. Dewgong collected all of his effort, anger, determination and power in one strong, colourful beam, which was blasted at Milotic from a small distance. Then, the Hoenn Champion's Pokemon collapsed!

"Milotic is defeated, Dewgong is the winner. Victory goes to Misty, the winner of this Whirl Cup tournament!" the referee shouted.

In a wild state of euphoria, Misty took off her clothes and jumped into the water on the battlefield. She swam at Dewgong, giving her Pokemon a hug to celebrate the victory. "You did it! Thank you so much, you're so awesome!" she complimented her Ice Pokemon. Despite not wearing any clothes, she didn't feel very cold: the weather was very warm, so a big portion of the ice was molten during the battle.

"Dew!" the Pokemon shouted, enjoying his trainer's hug.

In the meantime, Misty's support group was also euphoric. Ash hugged his Pikachu. "She did it!" he kept screaming. Meanwhile, Drew was staring at Misty and Dewgong.

"She and her Pokemon are so close!" May complimented, enjoying Misty's and Dewgong's swim through the battlefield, while Drew was focusing on something else.

"Wow, she's even better than my brother Cress, who is also a Water Pokemon Trainer," Cilan thought. "And if she would battle Chili, she'd beat the crap out of him."

"It wasn't easy, but she's the deserved winner," Lucy said.

"I agree," Brock replied.

"I wasn't expecting it anymore, but Misty is a great tactician and she surprised me several times during this tournament!" Max said.

"I had faith in this outcome all along," Cilan bragged.

"It's Cilan shuts up time!" Iris nagged.

"I said it before and I stand by my point, she'd be a great Coordinator!" Dawn suggested.

"I don't think she would want to give up battling. And even I as a Coordinator have to admit that that's totally right, she does what she loves and what she's good at," Zoey responded.

"I never expected this from Dewgong!" Daisy said, looking surprised. "Misty truly made him shine! Me, Lily and Violet were never able to do that."

"Is Dewgong originally yours or Misty's?" Tracey asked.

"Misty befriended him as a little kid on a holiday to the Seafoam Islands, so it's officially Misty's Pokemon. When she started travelling, she wanted to take him with her, but we needed him for our shows. So we didn't allow her and decided to keep him at the Gym. However, he didn't seem to enjoy assisting us in our shows, and really enjoyed battling. But we barely used him for battles. When Misty started traveling again, she took Dewgong with her, and now, we can say that it's exactly what Dewgong needed."

"Yeah, Misty sure is the perfect trainer for Dewgong!" Tracey agreed.

"It's because of her aquatic passion," Ash said.

Ten minutes later, Misty was wearing her clothes again and stood on a stage with Sea Priestess Maya, who was there to deliver Misty her prize. Dewgong was sitting next to his trainer.

Maya gave Misty a Mystic Water, and declared her a Water Pokemon Alpha Omega. "Oh, Great Sea Spirit and past Heroes of the Sea, continue to watch over the Whirl Cup Competition and safeguard the harmony of all humans and Pokémon alike," she spoke. The audience in the stadium gave Misty and her Dewgong a standing ovation.

One hour later, after answering questions from journalists, Misty reached the hotel, where her friends already were. She opened the door, entering the big eating room.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" her friends shouted simultaneously.

"Thank you!" Misty replied. "Did you organize all this for me?"

"I organized it, I knew you'd win!" Ash replied. "There's a jacuzzi, there's food, and there's a DJ who plays music from a lot of different genres, so everyone will like some songs."

She kissed him on the cheek, followed by a hug. "Thank you so much! I'm gonna hang out in the jacuzzi with Dewgong, Hoppip and Togetic."

"Misty, why did you take your clothes off when you jumped in the water after your battle?" her boyfriend asked.

"Well, I didn't want my clothes to be wet when I received the Mystic Water, and I wasn't even thinking straight anymore, I was so happy and wanted to celebrate this victory with Dewgong!" she answered.

"I understand," he responded. "And hey, we all do crazy things sometimes."

Then, the music started playing. While she was enjoying the guitars of one of her favourite bands, she took off her clothes, jumped in the jacuzzi, put her bikini on and sent Dewgong out of his Poke Ball, while Hoppip and Togetic followed her to the water.

"I did it!" she thought. "Finally! And all thanks to my awesome Pokemon, I owe everything to them! I should make them celebrate here too!" And so, she sent out the other Pokemon she had with her. Seaking, Seadra, Tentacruel and Marill came out of their Poke Balls. Then, Misty put a tube in the water before sending out Psyduck too, so the duck would be able to float and not drown.

Then, a blue-haired man opened the door of the room and entered the party. "Hey, guys, is it okay if I join this party? I want to talk to Misty." It was Wallace, the Hoenn Champion.

"Sure, Wallace!" Ash replied.

Then, he walked to the pool. He bended over, to shake hands with Misty, congratulating her. "Misty, now you won the Whirl Cup, what are you gonna do now?" he asked.

"Well, I heard there are tournaments like this in other regions too. I think it would be nice to participate in those!" she replied.

"That's a good idea to get better and it's the best thing you can do to become a Water Pokemon Master," he said.

"Indeed. Even though I won this tournament, I'm not a Water Pokemon Master yet, and I'm definitely not finished. There's still a lot I can achieve," she responded.

"That's the right mindset. I'm going now, have fun and again, congratulations! And I'm glad your Pokemon are celebrating too, they deserve it! That Dewgong really impressed me!" he replied.

"Thank you so much!" she said. "Bye!"

Wallace walked back to the jacuzzi. "Wait, I forgot to tell you this: in Hoenn, there's a tournament in one and a half year. It's called the Sootopolis Cup. Are you interested?"

"Sure!" Misty replied. "I've never been to Hoenn, so traveling there would be nice, and that tournament also sounds interesting! Thank you for telling me. Bye!"

When Wallace left the party room, Ash came to his girlfriend. "Hey, Misty, shall I get you a beer?" he asked.

When he heard that, Drew came at Misty. "How about two beers?"

"I can bring you three!" Ash said angrily.

"Or four," Drew suggested, in an attempt to impress Misty.

"Stop it, you guys! I don't even want beer now!" Misty snapped. "And Drew, why are you acting like this?"

"He's a little tipsy, he already had a few beers himself," Ash said, laughing.

"Well, that explains it," she replied.

One hour of relaxing later, Ash came to the pool. "Misty, your favourite song will start playing in one minute. Would you like to dance?"

"Yes, if you come into the pool to have a water dance with me!" Misty suggested. Ash took off his clothes, aside from his underpants, and jumped into the jacuzzi.

Then, when "I Was Made For Lovin' You" by KISS started, Ash put his hands around Misty's waist. Tracey, Daisy, Brock, Lucy, Max, May, Drew, Dawn, Zoey, Iris and Cilan came to the pool to watch the dancing couple. While Ash was being clumsy as expected, Misty did somewhat better. But she was more interested in singing along than in dancing, something she wasn't that good at. And so, during the chorus, they gave up dancing, and Ash decided to sing along.

"I was made for lovin' you, baby!" he sung, while Pikachu and Togetic did a better job at dancing than Ash and Misty could ever do.

"You were made for lovin' me!" she sung happily.

"And I can't get enough of you baby! Can you get enough of me?" they sung simultaneously.

A few minutes later, they finished singing and burst out in laughing.

"Wow Ash, you suck at singing!" Max teased.

"And you suck at dancing!" Dawn said to Misty.

"We don't care!" Ash replied.

"Yeah," Misty said. "We just did this for fun."

"Well, Misty, one thing is clear: leaving the Gym and traveling with Ash again was the best decision you ever made in your life!" Brock said.

"I agree, you and Ash are a great couple, you made Dewgong happy and you won the Whirl Cup!" Tracey agreed.

"Misty, there's something I need to say to you , it's about what Tracey said. Again, is there anything I can do for you to make you forgive Lily, Violet and me?" Daisy begged.

"Well, I've thought about this a lot in the past week. And I decided to forgive you three. Holding grudges and hating you won't get me anywhere, so I'll forgive you three, so we can try to get on good terms and have a normal sister relationship," Misty answered.

"Thank you so much!" Daisy replied.

"That's very mature of you, Misty!" Tracey complimented. "And you made Daisy very happy!"

"Thank you," Misty responded.

"Togetic!" Togetic shouted.

Twenty-four hours later, the contrast was big. While their friends left to their respective regions, Ash and Misty arrived in Cianwood City after a boat ride. Instead of a skirt and a bikini, or a sexy dress, Misty wore jeans, a scarf and a long winter jacket.

"Ash, the past few days were the most awesome days of my life!" Misty said.

"I enjoyed it too," Ash replied. "But I'm also looking forward to winning a new Badge!"

"I understand. Have you already thought about what Pokemon you're gonna use?" Misty asked, while Pikachu and Togetic followed their trainers.

"Um... I'm not sure yet, but I'll certainly use Bayleef. Do you remember how Bayleef single-handedly won me the Badge here six years ago?"

"Of course I remember that!" Misty replied. "It's smart of you to use Bayleef!"

And so, our heroes enjoyed their stay on Red Rock Isle, but they are looking forward to what the future holds. Including Ash's upcoming Gym battle, a battle that would be perfect for Bayleef.


	28. Chapter 28

And so, soon after Misty's Whirl Cup victory, our two heroes were walking down a snowy road in Cianwood City, on their way to the Gym, on the other side of the town.

"Ash, why did we have to take this way?" Misty snapped, while walking down a snowy road. She looked at the green trees that were covered by the white snow. "We're walking on the edge of town now, going right through the centre of this city would be much faster!" It's not the first time she complained, she and Ash were bickering all day long.

"There are many bird Pokemon in this forest, I've heard. I'd like to see those and maybe catch a new Pokemon," Ash replied, while snow was falling down upon his green winter jacket. "But why haven't we seen any of them so far?"

"Because it's winter, you idiot! Then most birds fly to warmer places!" his girlfriend shouted, while her long hair was blowing in the wind.

"Sorry, I forgot... Anyways, we're almost there now, so can you finally stop your complaining?" he asked.

"Well, you're the one giving me reasons to complain!" she snapped. Her eyebrows revealed her anger, and so did the look in her beautiful eyes.

"But you complain about anything!" he responded. "I'm immature, I'm unromantic, I'm Pokemon-obsessed, why can't you say some nice things about me?"

"I frequently say nice things about you, but when you act immature, I have every right to say that!" she continued her complaint. "And you constantly tell people that I have an anger problem, so you complain about me too, and you do that really often!" Ash didn't like hearing this, because he knew she was right.

"Yes, I have an anger problem, I also have flaws and I'm not perfect!" Misty admitted, while she could see the Cianwood City Gym through the snow. "But I at least admit my flaws!"

"But you're insulting me without a reason! I'm not an idiot!" Ash shouted.

"Then why didn't you understand why you didn't see any bird Pokemon in the forest?" she asked.

"Everyone makes stupid mistakes sometimes, you're not smarter than me!" he snapped.

"I so am smarter than you! Sure, I make mistakes too, but I'm definitely smarter than you! Not that that's very difficult..." she replied.

"Then why did I win so many Badges? You need strategy for that!" he asked.

"Well, being lucky or relying on strength and improvisation isn't strategic, you rarely take the time to actually prepare for a battle! Sure, improvisation in battles is important and takes intellect, but you could do so much better if you'd actually prepare for a battle, like I did during the Whirl Cup!" she answered.

"So what? I've won so many Badges in my life!" Ash complained.

"Well, you could've actually won at least one League with some more training and preparation! Think about the Kanto League, you just got lucky in three matches and got advice from me and Brock, you only prepared a battle once!" she backed up her claim. "I've won the Whirl Cup against people who have Pokemon that are probably stronger than mine, purely because of strategy and preparation!"

"So what? All Trainers have their own ways to success!" he said, in an attempt to contradict his girlfriend.

"Well, did you prepare anything for your upcoming battle against Chuck?" she snapped, while she and her boyfriend stood before the door of the Gym, not opening it until the argument was over.

"No, because I don't need to prepare in order to win!" he replied. "That doesn't make you smarter than me!"

"It's not just that, you're just so ignorant about so many things! For example, love, and also about the bird Pokemon in the forest!" she backed up her claim.

Then, he couldn't take it anymore. "Okay then, I'm not smart, but unlike you, I'm at least not a total bitch!"

That was what Misty needed to totally lose control of her emotions. "That does it!" she snapped. Then, she raised her right fist and hit her boyfriend on his head, causing him to fall down in the snow.

"Hey, that hurts!" Ash snapped, while feeling how painful it was.

Then, the door of the Gym was opened. A fat, brown-haired, shirtless man stood in the door opening. "What just happened? I heard a noise outside!" he asked.

Then, Ash stood up. "Misty hit me during an argument..." he moaned. Then, Misty realized she went too far. Horrible thoughts got into her head: would Ash ever forgive her for another hit?

"Wow, that's mean of her..." Chuck said. Then, he recognized the boy who stood in front of him. "Hey, it's you, Ash! And Misty is there too! How are you doing?"

"Not so well, I've just been hit..." then traveling trainer complained. "And you've gotten fat!"

"And how are you doing, Misty?" the Gym Leader asked, ignoring Ash's rude comment.

Then, she burst out in tears. "Not good, I just can't control my anger... I don't know what to do about it, now Ash probably doesn't love me anymore..." Ash wasn't really listening, he was too excited for the upcoming battle.

"Come inside, you two, and we'll talk," Chuck suggested. He closed the door after the couple under pressure entered the Gym.

"And, what's the problem? Why exactly did you hit your boyfriend?" the Cianwood City Gym Leader asked.

"Can we please stop this crap? I wanna win a new Badge!" Ash moaned. "And why is Misty crying, Chuck?"

"So you didn't even hear what she said to me after hitting you?" Chuck asked.

"No, I didn't, was it important?" he asked.

"Well, yes..." Misty moaned, while trying to prevent herself from crying, and not being able to. Her tears prevented her from asking Ash if he could ever forgive her.

"I won't talk about this until we've battled, I can't control my battling spirit anymore!" Ash shouted.

"Well, okay then, but you and Misty won't leave this Gym until you two settled this!" the Gym Leader replied. Then, he went to Misty. "Sorry, I don't think we've got a choice, he's just too eager to battle, but he won't receive a Badge unless he at least talks about this to you!"

"Thanks, Chuck," Misty said softly. She was too sad to support Ash, and instead of supporting the trainer from Pallet Town, Togetic only paid attention to her trainer. Then, she took place on the stands, while Ash and Chuck went on the battlefield.

"Ash, we don't have a referee, my apprentice is ill," Chuck said.

"That's fine," a woman who just entered the room said. "I can be the referee," she said. It was Chuck's wife. "This is a three versus three Pokemon battle between the fat Cianwood City Gym Leader Chuck and challenger Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. Both trainers will use three Pokemon, switching Pokemon during battle is not allowed. Are you two ready?"

Then, Ash took a Poke Ball from his belt and hurled it in the air. "Snorlax, go!" he shouted.

"That's a bad choice," Chuck laughed. "Poliwrath, I choose you!"

Normally, Misty would tell Ash that using Snorlax in a Fighting-type Gym is a bad choice. However, this time, she couldn't do anything else than crying. "It's all my fault... If Ash leaves me after this battle, I can't blame him. I don't deserve him..." she thought.

"Go!" the referee shouted.

"Poliwrath, let's start with a Doubleslap!" Chuck commanded. The tadpole ran at the fat, slow Normal Pokemon, who couldn't evade. Then, he yawned in the Water Pokemon's face!

"Snorlax, don't fall asleep, I need you!" Ash begged. However, he wasn't very lucky: shortly after trying to stand up, the fat Pokemon collapsed and fell asleep.

"Poliwrath, now use Dynamicpunch all the time until he's defeated!" Chuck shouted. His Pokemon started hitting Ash's Pokemon all over his body. Eventually, he wasn't even sleeping anymore, his condition was worse.

"Snorlax is defeated, Poliwrath is the winner!" Chuck's wife shouted.

"Snorlax, that was disappointing..." Ash moaned when calling his Pokemon back. Then, he grabbed another Poke Ball. "Heracross, I choose you!"

"Begin!" the wife of the Gym Leader shouted.

"Poliwrath, use your Hydro Pump!" Chuck shouted. The water from his Pokemon's belly hit Heracross, who was blasted against the wall.

"Heracross, no!" Ash shouted.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu shouted, who was standing next to Ash.

"Do you mean you wanna battle now?" Ash asked.

"Pi," the Pokemon nodded.

"Sorry, but Heracross isn't defeated yet, and maybe I need another Pokemon against Chuck's next Pokemon," the trainer replied, much to the Electric Pokemon's dismay.

Then, Poliwrath yawned and fell asleep! "No, Poliwrath!" Chuck shouted. "How is this possible?"

"Snorlax yawned before falling asleep, when your Poliwrath stood in front of Snorlax's mouth!" Ash laughed. "Heracross, use your Megahorn!" he shouted. Then, the Bug Pokemon gave the tadpole a harsh blow, causing it to wake up.

"Poliwrath, use your Dynamicpunch!" Chuck shouted. However, when the Pokemon tried to run at the opponent, the injuries from the Megahorn kicked in, causing the Water Pokemon to collapse.

"Poliwrath is defeated, Heracross is the winner!" the referee announced.

"Poliwrath, come back. You did a good job," Chuck said. Then, he sent out his next Pokemon. "Machoke, I choose you!"

Then, after the referee's sign to begin, Ash commanded his Heracross to do Horn Attack, hitting Machoke.

"Machoke, use Submission now!" Chuck shouted. While Heracross was suffering, Ash was looking at the stands. While his girlfriend and her Togetic were normally busy supporting him, he saw her crying now. "Oh Arceus, why?" Ash thought. "I should've listened to her before this battle, now she'll see me as a total jerk... I don't deserve her... It's all my fault!"

"Machoke, now finish it with Cross Chop!" Chuck shouted. While Heracross received this final blow without Ash leading him, Ash was thinking about his relationship. Would Misty stay with him or not?

Then, Ash focused on the battle again. But it was too late. He heard the voice of the referee. "Heracross is defeated, Machoke is the winner!"

"Ash, what was that? Why weren't you focused this time?" the Gym Leader asked.

"That's none of your business!" he snapped. Then, he sent out his last Pokemon, Bayleef, much to Pikachu's annoyance. Then, he looked at the stands. "Misty, whether you still love me or not, I'll win this battle and dedicate this win to you!" he shouted.

Misty looked delighted, she knew Ash still loves her! "Our relationship was under pressure, but true love always wins!" she thought.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Machoke, let's start with Focus Energy!" Chuck commanded.

"Bayleef, use Sweet Scent!" Ash commanded. A calm aroma escaped from the Grass Pokemon's leaves, approaching the Fighting Pokemon.

"Now, use your Solarbeam!" the Pallet Town-native trainer shouted. While the Fighting Pokemon was too distracted to do anything, Bayleef could freely charge up and shoot a strong beam at Machoke.

"Machoke, can you go on?" Chuck asked his Pokemon, who lay on the ground, pretty much done for. Then, he stood up.

"Yeah, that's the spirit, Machoke!" he shouted. "Now, use Double Team!" Machoke started running around, creating two other Machoke.

"Bayleef, try to hit them all with Razor Leaf!" Ash commanded. The Grass Pokemon hurled leaves at the Machoke, making them all disappear. But when she was about to hit the last one standing, the real Machoke, she got hit by Mega Kick!

"Bayleef, can you go on?" Ash asked the tired Pokemon, who nodded.

"Now finish it with Headbutt!" Ash commanded. The Grass Pokemon ran at the Fighting type, hitting him with her head.

"Machoke is defeated, Bayleef is the winner!" the referee stated.

"That was great, Ash. But it's not finished yet!" Chuck shouted. "Go, Hitmontop!" A Pokemon who stood on his head came out of the Poke Ball.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Hitmontop, let's do this with Triple Kick!" Chuck shouted. The Fighting Pokemon started spinning, moving towards Bayleef at high speed.

"Bayleef, jump!" Ash commanded. The Grass Pokemon used her Vine Whip on the ground, escaping the attack.

However, then Bayleef got surprised. "Hitmontop, jump and hit the wall with your head!" Chuck commanded. The Fighting Pokemon hit the wall, and then ended up floating in the air, kicking Bayleef, who was just floating down to the ground.

"Bayleef, can you go on?" Ash asked. "You can do it, we need to win this battle for Misty!" he shouted. Eventually, Bayleef stood up!

"That's the spirit!" the Pallet Town-native Trainer shouted. "Now, use Vine Whip!" The Grass Pokemon hurled the long vines at Hitmontop, holding the Pokemon. "And now make him spin!"

Hitmontop was totally dizzy after being spinned around for one minute. "Bayleef, now finish it with Razor Leaf!" Ash commanded. His Pokemon shot sharp, green leaves at the opponent, who was done for!

"Hitmontop is defeated, Bayleef is the winner! Victory goes to Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and not to my fat husband!" the referee shouted.

"You did it, Bayleef! That was awesome!" Ash shouted, while hugging his Pokemon.

"Hitmontop, you did a fine job. Come back and have some rest," Chuck said to his Pokemon, when returning it to his Poke Ball.

Then, when Ash put Bayleef back in her Poke Ball, Chuck came at Ash. "You did a great job, you defeated me and deserved this win."

"Thanks!" Ash replied. "But where's my Badge?" he asked.

"Well, first, there's something else that matters more. Misty realized she took it too far, she's crying all the time and she's afraid to lose you, and she's really sorry about hitting you. She's worried you don't love her anymore now... Can you forgive her?" Chuck asked.

"Of course, I love her despite her anger problem! And besides, her anger problem seems to be getting less severe since our argument in Olivine City," Ash responded. Then, he walked up to Misty and gave her a hug. "Can you ever forgive me for my rudeness?"

"Of course I can, and I've done more wrong than you did, so don't blame yourself for this. Today, our issues were entirely my fault!" Misty shouted.

"No, I'm more guilty than you!" Ash said.

"Hold it, you two, don't start arguing again!" Chuck moaned. "Ash, to take your attention away from arguing, and because you defeated me, here's your Storm Badge!"

"Yay!" Ash shouted. "I've got... a Storm Badge!"

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted, stealing the glory after a battle he didn't even participate in.

"Congratulations, Ash!" Misty said, kissing her boyfriend on the cheek, causing him to blush.

"Thank you for everything, Chuck!" Misty said, when leaving the Gym.

"And don't forget to lose some weight!" Ash added to that.

"Bye, and I'll buy a hometrainer soon!" Chuck said.

Ten minutes later, our heroes arrived at the airport, awaiting the plane to Ecruteak City. From there, they would walk to Mahogany Town. When they were sitting next to each other in the plane, Togetic noticed that two suspicious people were sitting on the seats in front of them.

"Toge Toge!" she said to Misty, pointing at the couple.

"What's up, Togetic?" Misty asked.

"Toge Toge, Togetic!" the Pokemon shouted.

"Those two people in front of us? Hm... Hey, that's Team Rocket!" Misty shouted.

"So what? Aren't we allowed to travel on a plane?" the purple-haired man asked.

"Well, you two are here to steal Pokemon from the passengers!" Misty snapped.

Then, a police officer walked up to Misty. "Are those two the Pokemon thieves who escaped from jail two weeks ago?" she asked.

"Yes, Officer Jenny!" she said.

"Catch them for me, I don't have Pokemon with me!" the officer shouted.

"Go, Marill!" Misty said, when sending out her Pokemon.

"Roselia, I choose you!" James shouted, when hurling a Poke Ball in the air.

"Marill, use your Aqua Tail!" Misty commanded. The water mouse slammed the Grass Pokemon, defeating it in one hit despite the type disadvantage.

"Oh no, we lost!" Meowth screamed.

"But the police won't catch us!" Jessie laughed.

"Why not?" Officer Jenny asked.

"Because we have this!" James said, when pointing at the parachute on his back. Then, he opened the door of the plane and jumped out of the flying vehicle, followed by Jessie and Meowth.

"Oh no, they escaped again, we were so close!" Jenny moaned.

"Sorry for not being able to catch Team Rocket..." Misty apologised.

"It's not your fault," Ash tried to comfort his girlfriend. "It's the police's fault for letting them escape from jail!"

"Yes, we failed at making our jail cells escape-proof..." Jenny admitted.

Then, Misty's blue mouse Pokemon started glowing. "Hey, look at Marill!" Misty shouted.

"It's evolving!" Ash said, while looking at the change in appearance and power.

"Zuzuzu!" the evolved Marill said.

Ash took his Pokedex from his bag. "Azumarill, the Aqua Rabbit Pokémon. The evolved form of Marill. This Pokémon uses its large, highly developed ears to hear great distances, even underwater."

"That can be useful if we're looking for something or someone," Misty said happily.

"I wish we'd have such a Pokemon at the police stations" Officer Jenny sighed.

Some hours, the plane landed on the airport of Ecruteak City. Just before walking out of the plane, Ash walked up to Officer Jenny. "Good luck finding Team Rocket," Ash said to her.

"And thank you for complimenting my Azumarill," Misty added.

"You're welcome, and good luck in your next Gym battle, Ash!" Jenny shouted. And so, our heroes walked onwards to Mahogany Town.


	29. Chapter 29

A week after the Gym battle in Cianwood City, Ash and Misty were walking down the road from Ecruteak City to Mahogany Town. While they moved forward, heading for the city where Ash would try to win his seventh Johto League Badge, they saw a big cave next to the road.

"Wow, Mt. Mortar sure is big, Misty!" Ash said.

"Yeah, I wonder what kind of Pokemon live in there," his girlfriend replied. "I know there's water, so there must be Water Pokemon!"

"Yeah, I suppose," he responded. "But let's not go in there, it's cold and I wanna reach Mahogany Town as soon as possible."

"Me too," she said, while her beloved Togetic was flying next to her.

Then, she noticed someone familiar. A red limousine came closer to her and her boyfriend. "Gary Gary is the best, he is better than the rest! Go, Gary!" the people in the big car sang. They were cheerleaders. "Ash, it's Gary," she said.

"Oh no," he moaned.

Gary stepped out of his vehicle. "Hey, Ashyboy! Did you already infect Misty with your loseritis?"

"Grr... No!" Ash moaned.

"Look, gals, he doesn't even protest us, he knows he has loseritis!" Gary teased.

"Yeah, what a total loser! I'm glad his girlfriend isn't infected!" one cheerleader said.

"I'm gonna make you regret ever becoming my rival!" Ash shouted, while raising his fist.

"Calm down, Ash!" Misty tried, but it was a futile attempt.

"Does that mean you wanna battle me?" Gary asked. "Fine then, bring it on!" He took a Poke Ball from his belt and hurled it in the air. When a red Pokemon came out, he shouted "Scizor, I choose you!"

"Scizor!" the Pokemon shouted.

"Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash said. Then, he looked at Gary. "One versus one?"

"Sure, Ashyboy! No matter how many Pokemon you use, you can't beat me!" the troll teased. Then, he focused on the battle. "Scizor, use your Fury Cutter!" The Bug Pokemon came at the Electric one, slashing with his red claws, severely denting Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded. A big jolt of electricity was aimed at the red bug, but the attack didn't hit: Scizor avoided the attack.

"Scizor, use your Fury Cutter again!" Gary commanded. Again, Pikachu got hit, but this time, the attack hurted even more. And Scizor's incredible speed was also too much for Pikachu. How could Ash ever turn things around?

"This isn't good..." Misty thought. "Fury Cutter gets stronger every time it hits, and Scizor is so fast that Pikachu can't evade..." Togetic looked worried.

"Now, let's finish it with another Fury Cutter!" Gary commanded. Scizor did what its trainer told him, causing Pikachu to collapse.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted, looking at his defeated Pokemon.

"I won again, just like on that cruise ship!" Gary teased, while stepping into the big red car.

"Next time, I'm gonna get revenge!" Ash shouted, while carrying his defeated Pokemon.

"Bye, loser!" Gary trolled, when driving away in his limousine.

"Ash, Togetic has an idea: she can use Softboiled to cure Pikachu, at the expense of some energy of her own. Shall we do that?" Misty offered.

"Of course, if Togetic is fine with it," Ash replied.

Then, Togetic started glowing. "Toge..." she said calmly. Then, she hurled energy in the form of light at Pikachu, when shouting "Tic!" This caused the Electric Pokemon to stand up.

"That was great, Misty!" Ash complimented.

"Don't compliment me, compliment Togetic instead!" his girlfriend said.

"Well done, Togetic!" he said.

"Tic Tic Tic," the Pokemon said, when shaking hands with the boy from Pallet Town.

Then, Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Togetic went onwards.

"What an ******* is that guy," Ash moaned.

"Yeah, he's the real loser," Misty agreed. "He won now, but who laughs last laughs best. And you'll laugh when beating him at the Johto League!"

"What are you saying? He's not even gonna reach the Johto League!" Ash joked.

"Ash, don't underestimate him, you can only beat him if you take battling him very seriously," Misty advised.

"I guess you're right," Ash said.

"Hey, look! I can see Mahogany Town's Pokemon Center from here!" Misty said, looking at the red building on the edge of the town. It was evening, the sky just turned dark and the moon was shining.

"Yeah, I see!" Ash said.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu shouted, while gushing over the attractive, white Pokemon hovering next to Misty.

Then, they heard a voice from behind them. "Hold it right there!" someone shouted.

"Hey, who are you?" Ash asked, when looking at the person who shouted at him and his girlfriend. Behind them stood a twenty years old man with straight, black hair. Misty knew him: it was the lure maker who made the lure Misty gave to Ash as a birthday present!

"I'm Robert, pleased to meet you," the man said.

"I'm Ash," the Pallet Town-native said, introducing himself.

"Robert, is it possible that we know each other? I vaguely remember you, you seem familiar..." Misty suggested.

"Yes, I'm the lure maker from Red Rock Isle," Phil answered.

"Then what are you doing here?" Misty asked.

"Well, you know I'm a great fan of you, to the point of an obsession. You're so awesome, wanted to see you again. I asked Chuck where you were, because I knew Ash would battle him after the Whirl Cup. He expected you to be around Mahogany Town now, and he was right," Robert explained.

"Well, thank you!" Misty replied.

Then, Ash saw a purple Pokemon flying past him. "Hey, a Venomoth!" he said.

"What are you gonna do, Ash?" Misty asked.

"I'm gonna catch that Venomoth!" he said.

"Oh no, if he catches it, he's gonna scare me all the time!" she thought.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted. A jolt of electricity was shot at the Pokemon that flew away fast enough to avoid getting hit.

Then, he took a Poke Ball from his belt. "Growlithe, I choose you!" he shouted, when sending out the Fire Pokemon. "Growlithe, Fire Blast!"

"Growlll!" the dog screamed, before shooting a blast of flames at the Bug Pokemon, who couldn't avoid the attack this time. However, Venomoth still wasn't defeated, and flew away at high speed.

"Aw, I failed..." he moaned.

Meanwhile, a brown-haired girl and her Furret were walking around in the entrance of Mt. Mortar and noticed the Venomoth. She knew what to do. "Furret, Strength!" she shouted.

"Furret!" the Pokemon shouted, while hitting the moth with his right arm.

"Well done, Furret! And Venomoth, it's time to join Melody's team!" the girl shouted, when hurling a Poke Ball. After some seconds, Melody knew a new Pokemon was added to her team. Then, she gave her Furret a high-five. Then, she saw from a distance what Ash was seeing from closer by: Robert held Misty, moving his lips to hers.

"Misty, you're cheating on me!" Ash cried. However, his girlfriend was struggling, moving her head away from Robert's lips, trying to evade the kiss he tried to give her against her will. Then, she finally succeeded at pushing Robert away from herself.

"Ash, I'm not cheating on you! He wanted to kiss me against my will, and I tried to push him away!" Misty replied. "You just didn't see everything because you were trying to catch that stupid bug!"

"You're lying! You just pushed him away when I was looking, you two were about to kiss!" Ash moaned, while tears flew down his eyes. He was very sensitive when it came to Misty and other guys. His jealousy was controlling him, causing him to be unwilling to listen to what his honest and faithful girlfriend was saying. "I don't want a girlfriend who is unfaithful!" he shouted. Then, he ran away, entering Mahogany Town.

"Fine, I don't need a guy who doesn't trust me!" Misty snapped. Instead of putting any effort in convincing Ash, she let her anger control herself.

"Togetic!" her white Pokemon cried. She was sad that she couldn't see her beloved Pika-partner anymore.

"Pika Pi!" she heard from a growing distance.

Misty put her sleeping bag just outside of the entrance of Mt. Mortar, not noticing that Melody lay close to her sleeping bag.

"Togetic, sorry that you're separated from Pikachu, but I can't be in a relationship with a guy who doesn't even trust me," Misty explained. "All the time with him was wasted... And I even lost my virginity to that jerk..." She burst out in tears.

"Togetic," her Pokemon tried to comfort her.

"No, Togetic, I can't find other guys... They won't like me because of my anger problem..." she cried.

"Toge Togetic!" the Pokemon suggested.

"No, I don't want to be with Robert... Sure, he loves me, but I don't feel attracted to him... And I don't want to be with someone who almost rape-kissed me!" Misty replied to her Pokemon, while Melody heard the entire conversation between her and her Pokemon.

Then, Misty and Togetic cried themselves asleep. The former Cerulean City Gym Leader was dreaming. Good moments from the past went through her mind. She dreamt of how she reeled him in with her rod when she first met him. The moment when Ash drooled over her when he saw her wearing her sexy red bikini at the beach in Kanto crossed her mind. She dreamt about the moment she found out that Ash loves her, back on the Orange Islands: by acting nice to Danny, she made Ash jealous, in order to know whether he loves her or not. She dreamt about how her mean sisters separated her from him for six years, but also about how they got reunited at the beach. Then, the moment when she celebrated her Whirl Cup win with Ash crossed her mind. Meanwhile, Togetic dreamt about all the great moments with Pikachu, how he saved her life at the risk of his own when she was a baby, and their cute moments when Ash and Misty got reunited after six years.

The next morning, Misty woke up early in the morning. "Good morning, Togetic," she said calmly.

"Toge Togetic!" the Pokemon said, pointing at Melody, who just woke up as well.

Misty walked up to her. "Hi Melody, how are you?" she asked.

"Fine, and you?" Melody asked. "Where's Ash?"

"We broke up..." Misty answered.

"Why?" Melody asked.

"He doesn't trust me... Some guy tried to rape-kiss me, Ash thought I was cheating on him and didn't want to listen to me when I tried to explain what happened. I don't need a guy who doesn't trust me!" Misty explained.

"Ash is single now? Wow, this is the best day of my life!" Melody shouted.

"What? You're gonna try to seduce him?" Misty asked. Even though she broke up with him, she felt really uncomfortable about the idea of Melody seducing Ash. Why? Did she still love him?

"Yes! You had your chance and you blew it, so now it's my turn! I'm going to the Mahogany Town Gym right now!" Melody said. Then, she ran away off.

"Did I make the right decision?" Misty wondered. "When I see Ash with another girl, I also freak out... Why didn't I try to explain it more than once? It's just his impatience and impulsiveness, I'm sure he'd eventually believe me..."

Meanwhile, Ash walked through the streets of the town. While passing the old houses, he was thinking about his upcoming battle. Then, he noticed a familiar face. "Come on, Primeape, push it to the limit!" the man shouted.

"Hey, Anthony!" Ash said.

"Hello Ash, it's great to see you again!" the Fighting Pokemon trainer said.

"Primeape!" the Pokemon that was with him shouted, while hugging his former trainer.

"It's so nice to see you again, Primeape!" Ash said. "By the way, Anthony, what are you doing here?"

"The Pokemon wrestling competition will take place in this city in two days, Primeape and I are training," Anthony explained. "We only just started training, so Primeape's not tired yet!"

"Good luck in the competition!" Ash replied. "I'm here to challenge the Gym Leader of Mahogany Town!"

"Hey, Primeape could use a battle to warm up! Would you like to use Primeape in your battle? Then I'll be at the Pokemon Center and you can bring him there when you're finished," Anthony suggested.

"Sure, a Fighting Pokemon is always useful against an Ice type Gym Leader," Ash answered. "And it'll be nice to battle with him again."

"That's cool, I'll see you at the Pokemon Center then. I'm off!" Anthony responded. "And oh yeah, I taught him how to use Overheat!"

"Primeape!" the monkey shouted energetically. He was ready to battle!

After walking for thirty more minutes, Ash finally reached the Gym. "There we are, the Mahogany Town Gym," Ash said.

When he was about to open the door, he noticed that a brown-haired girl walked up to him. He saw that she was wearing a slightly different outfit: the top she wore was pretty similar to her usual pink top, but this one showed her bellybutton and some cleavage, much to Ash's pleasure.

"Hi Melody, you sure look hot today!" Ash said, while blushing.

"Thanks, Ash. Misty told me you and her broke up, so I'm here to make you feel a little better," Melody said. Then, she kissed him on the cheek, causing him to blush again.

"Would you like to come in and watch my Gym battle?" Ash offered.

"Sure!" Melody answered.

While he opened the door, he thought "Wow, this is great! Instead of getting bossed around by Misty, Melody treats me really well!"

Then, the Gym Leader stood there. "Hello Ash, it's good to see you again," the old man said.

"It's good to see you too, Pryce! I'm here to challenge you again," Ash explained.

"Well, I'm ready! And this time, I'll defeat you," the Gym Leader answered.

Then, Sheila, Pryce's wife arrived in the room with the battlefield. "This is a three on three Pokemon battle between Pryce, the Gym Leader of Mahogany Town, and Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. There is no time limit, and both trainers aren't allowed to switch Pokemon. If Ash wins, he'll get a Glacier Badge. Begin!"

"Primeape, you're eager to battle, so I'll choose you!" Ash said, while Primeape entered the icy battlefield.

"Mamoswine, go!" Pryce shouted, while hurling up a Poke Ball.

"Is that the Piloswine I saved for you six years ago?" Ash asked, while looking at the strong Ground Pokemon.

"Yes, it is, he evolved some months ago when beating someone with a Magmar, in a friendly battle," Pryce explained. "It was the person Mamoswine and I lost to when we were younger, which I told you about last time you were here," he referred to the past.

"That's cool, but I'm still going to beat you," Ash said, showing the fire of determination in his eyes.

"Begin!" Sheila shouted.

"Primeape, let's start with Karate Chop!" Ash commanded. The monkey ran at the swine, who was too slow to avoid getting hit by Primeape's strong fist.

"Mamoswine, use your Fissure!" Pryce commanded. Primeape was able to jump, preventing a hit: once a Pokemon is struck by Fissure, it'll faint immediately.

"Primeape, try your Tackle!" Ash shouted. His Pokemon ran at the swine Pokemon, hitting it on its nose.

"And now Hi Jump Kick," the Pallet Town-native trainer said. The monkey jumped in the air, looking at its opponent before jumping at it, while aiming his feet at the Ice Pokemon.

"Mamoswine, Headbutt!" Pryce shouted. The swine ran at the place where Primeape would crash down, shaked his head and smashed the Fighting-type in the air and smashed Primeape against the ceiling.

"Primeape, can you go on?" Ash asked. He looked anxiously at his hurt Pokemon, and so did Melody.

"Primeape!" the Pokemon shouted.

"Yeah, that's the spirit!" Ash said, while he was about to surprise his opponent. "Primeape, Overheat!" he shouted. Not many Primeape knew how to use Overheat, but thanks to Anthony, he was able to surprise Pryce. Big flames were shot at the slow Mamoswine, who collapsed.

"Mamoswine is defeated, Primeape is the winner!" the referee shouted, while Ash looked at his tired Pokemon.

"Mamoswine, you did well. Return," Pryce said. Then, he took another Poke Ball. "Walrein, I choose you!" the Gym Leader shouted.

"Begin!" Sheila shouted.

"Primeape, try another Overheat!" Ash commanded. The flames hit the slow walrus, who was even slower than Mamoswine. However, this time, it barely did anything!

"Ash, don't forget that Overheat gets weaker every time you use it!" Melody shouted.

"Ah, a girl nagging to me, just like Misty used to do..." Ash thought. Even though he didn't like being criticized, it felt just fine to him this time. "Primeape, Toxic!" the Pallet Town-native commanded. And so, the walrus was poisoned! Ash was benefiting from Anthony's great work, but still felt proud of himself. Then, all of a sudden, Walrein smacked down Primeape with Aurora Beam.

"Primeape is defeated, Walrein is the winner," the referee announced.

"Primeape, that was awesome! You did well," Ash complimented. He took Primeape and put him on the stand, next to Melody. Then, he quickly went back to the cold, icy battlefield. After hurling his Poke Ball in the air, he shouted that he chose the dog-like Pokemon he sent out.

"Begin!" Sheila shouted.

"Growlithe, let's start with your Flare Blitz," Ash said. The Fire Pokemon tackled the slow opponent, but it didn't deal a lot of damage.

"Wild Charge," Ash commanded. An electrifying tackle shocked Pryce's strong Pokemon, who was damaged quite significantly. "Walrein!" it shouted.

"Walrein, use Water Pulse!" the Gym Leader commanded. However, the dog Pokemon ran away from the attack at high speed.

Then, Ash saw that Walrein was in a great deal of pain. "Hey, the effects of Toxic!" he thought. Then, he looked at Growlithe. "Growlithe, if avoid any attack he throws at you, you'll be safe. He'll eventually collapse from the poison anyways! But we'll make him collapse sooner, use your Wild Charge again!" And so, the walrus was hit by what would be the final blow. The poisoned and severely injured Water Pokemon fell down on the ice. "Walrein is defeated, Growlithe is the winner!" the referee decided.

"That was awesome, Growlithe!" Ash shouted, while his Pokemon jumped in his arms to hug him. "Growlll!"

"That was great, but you haven't defeated me yet!" Pryce said, while Growlithe stood on the battlefield again. Then, he held a Poke Ball in his arms. "While Mamoswine was trapped in the ice for years, this Pokemon became incredibly strong. And now, you'll feel it's power! Go, Dewgong!" the Gym Leader shouted, while hurling a Poke Ball. A strong, white Pokemon appeared in the small pool of water on the battlefield. Meanwhile, Growlithe felt some pain in its left front paw: the usage of Wild Charge took its toll. "Growlll..."


	30. Chapter 30

While Ash's Growlithe stood on the icy battlefield, being close to exhaustion, Pryce's intimidating Dewgong was looking at the tired Fire type. The Dewgong just came out of its Poke Ball, ready to battle at full power.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Growlithe, start with a Flamethrower!" Ash shouted. The flames were shot at the white Pokemon, but didn't affect the Ice type much. "Dang it!" Ash cursed.

"Dewgong, finish this with your Aurora Beam!" Pryce commanded. A strong, colourful beam struck the fire dog, who couldn't take this hit anymore.

"Growlithe is defeated, Dewgong is the winner!" Sheila shouted, while looking at the defeated Fire type.

The ray with rainbow colours did more than just defeating Ash's Growlithe. It did more to Ash. Moments from the past went through his mind. He started daydreaming, and saw another Dewgong using Aurora Beam, defeating Wallace's Milotic against all odds. Then, that Dewgong's trainer took off her clothes and jumped in the water to celebrate the victory with the Ice Pokemon. Later on that specific day on the Whirl Islands, he remembered the big party that was there to celebrate the win. And now, he was separated from this awesome girl. And why? Because he couldn't control himself in his rage of jealousy.

Then, Melody gave him the wake-up call he needed. "Ash, are you daydreaming? Concentrate on the battle!" she shouted.

"Oh, sorry..." Ash moaned, while returning Growlithe to its Poke Ball. Then, he sent out his last Pokemon. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!" he shouted, while the Grass Pokemon left his Poke Ball and stood on the ice.

"Begin!" the referee said, while noticing that the Pokemon were ready.

"Dewgong, use your Blizzard!" Pryce commanded. While the white Pokemon shook its tail, d big supply of snow was shot at Bulbasaur, shaped like a wind. The icy cold breeze had its effect: Bulbasaur was frozen!

"Bulbasaur!" Ash screamed.

"Oh no..." Melody sighed. She looked worried.

"You can just as well give up now!" Pryce laughed.

"NEVER!" Ash screamed. "Bulbasaur, Solarbeam!" he commanded. And so, the Grass Pokemon started charging.

"That Bulbasaur will faint before charging," Pryce laughed.

Then, Melody noticed that the attack was almost charged. "Ash, now!" she shouted.

"Furret!" her Pokemon shouted. He came out of his Poke Ball to support Ash.

"Now!" Ash shouted. A strong, bright, shining beam was shot at Dewgong. First, the ice and snow was damped. Then, there was still enough power left to hit the icy Pokemon with great power. The sea lion wasn't expecting to get hit all, causing it to be unable to avoid the critical hit.

"Dewgong is defeated, Bulbasaur is the winner! Victory goes to Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!" the referee shouted, while looking at the victorious Grass type.

"We did it!" Ash shouted, while running at his Bulbsaur.

"Pi Pikachu!" his signature Pokemon screamed, taking credit for Bulbasaur's work.

"Bulbasaur!" the Grass Pokemon shouted.

"That was awesome!" Melody said, while kissing Ash on the cheek, causing the winner to blush.

"You did an awesome job there," Pryce complimented. "And so, here's your Glacier Badge."

"YEAH!" Ash shouted. "I've got... a Glacier Badge!"

"Pi Pikachu!" his Pokemon shouted.

"Bulbasaur!" the proud winner shouted, while looking at the yellow glory hunter.

"Bulbasaur, you were fantastic! Come back and have some rest, you've fought hard," Ash complimented, while retreating his Pokemon. He noticed that Melody put her cheering Furret back in its Poke Ball as well.

"Bye, Pryce," Melody said, while looking at the old man and his Dewgong, who already felt a bit better after taking a beating from Bulbasaur.

"Bye, Melody and Ash," the Gym Leader replied, while taking a Poke Ball from his belt and putting his white sea lion Pokemon in it.

A few hours later, Ash and Melody were looking at the moon in the dark sky, while their Pokemon were looking at the beautiful green trees in the dark moonlight.

"Melody, this moonlight is awesome!" Ash said, while taking off his clothes and putting on his pyjamas, not caring about Melody seeing things most people aren't supposed to see.

"Yeah... The past day, there's something I've been thinking about," Melody said, after kissing the Pallet Town-native on his cheek. She had a flame of burning desire in her eyes, showing determination and passion.

"What is it?" Ash asked, as dense as usual.

"You and I are gonna share the bed together!" Melody suggested, while taking off her clothes.

"What?" Ash screamed. He wasn't counting on this. He enjoyed Melody's company and felt attracted to her, they were becoming quite the couple, but sex? He felt like it was way too early for that.

"Um... I'm not fully comfortable with this..." Ash tried, but Melody was already taking off his pyjamas shirt.

"Why not? We're gonna have some fun!" Melody shouted.

Then, Ash realized what he felt all along, that stinging feeling he felt while being with Melody. "I miss Misty!" he screamed, while bursting out into tears. He quickly put on his clothes, took Pikachu in his hands and ran away from Melody, deep into Ice Path.

While he put his sleeping bag in the icy cold cave, his tears were falling down on the ground. "Why did I let her go so easily, why didn't I control myself?" he thought.

"Pika Pi!" his Pokemon shouted.

"You're right, Pikachu. I'll look for her tomorrow. But now, we're going to sleep. Good night!" he replied.

And so, the Pallet Town-native and his trusty yellow pal went asleep. However, this wasn't a smart choice: with cold temperatures like in Ice Path, it's better to keep moving. While they slept, they were slowly freezing without even noticing it in their sleep!

The next morning, a red-haired girl and two Pokemon of hers were looking for him. "Oh, what did I do? He might be with Melody now!" Misty thought.

"Zu Zu!" her blue Pokemon said. It was her Azumarill, who recently evolved from Marill. It used its ears to detect Ash! The Pokemon was pointing to the east, to Ice Path.

"What? He's in Ice Path?" Misty asked.

"Togetic?" her other Pokemon reacted, shocked by the possibility that her beloved Pikachu might be in mortal danger.

"Azu," the Water type shouted. Then, Misty and her Pokemon ran to an eastward direction.

Half an hour later, they stood in front of the daunting, icy, dangerous cave. "I'm so glad I have my comfy scarf!" Misty thought.

"Hey, Misty!" a girl said, while poking her elbow.

"Tell me where Ash is, you skank!" Misty snapped, while holding Melody's shirt. Her face was a perfect portrayal of her emotions: her 'victim' was extremely scared.

"Back off!" the brown-haired girl shouted. When Misty finally let her go, she answered. "Ash ran into Ice Path last night, after crying about missing you so much," she explained.

"Oh no!" Misty shouted. Without even thinking about it, she ran into Ice Path, followed by Togetic and Azumarill, who had to fly and run very fast to keep up with their trainer.

"Tic..." her Togetic moaned, while feeling the harsh cold on her body.

"Sorry Togetic, but we have to go through this place," Misty apologised. Then, she ran onwards, looking for the boy she loves.

"Azu Zu Zu!" Azumarill shouted, while pointing at a blue sleeping bag.

"Ash!" Misty shouted. She was shocked to see him and his Pikachu like this. They lay on their back in the sleeping bag, and were shrouded in ice.

"Toge Togetic!" the white Happiness Pokemon screamed, while staring at Pikachu.

"We've got to do something or they'll die!" Misty thought. Then, she grabbed a Poke Ball from her bag. "Gyarados, I choose you!" she shouted, while a big, blue serpent came out of the red and white ball.

"Togetic, Gyarados, use your Flamethrower on the ice!" the aspiring Water Pokemon Master commanded. And so, flames were shot at Ash and Pikachu, making the ice covering them melt. Then, Misty shook Ash up and down, but didn't get a reaction. Then, tears started rolling down her cheeks. "He's dead, and it's all my fault!" she thought.

"Zu Zu Zu! Zu Zu Zu Zu!" Azumarill protested. Then, he spit a huge amount water at the two frozen ones. And that was what they needed: Ash shook his head. "Misty? Is it you? Am I in Heaven?" he mumbled.

"Pika Pika..." Pikachu murmured, while looking around.

"Ash, you're alive!" Misty screamed, while giving him the biggest hug he ever received. Meanwhile, Togetic hugged Pikachu the same way.

"What happened?" Ash asked.

"You were frozen, and Togetic, Gyarados and Azumarill saved your life!" Misty explained.

"Thank you so much for saving my life!" he responded, while hugging his former girlfriend.

"You're welcome," she replied.

"Misty, could we be a couple again? I regret everything I did, and I've missed you so much!" he asked.

"I'm not sure..." she said, while her eyes started tearing up. "I've been a total b*tch to you, I'm not worth your love..."

"I've been a total douche to you, I've done worse things than you," he replied. "I've been behaving like a child all the time, and I should've believed you when Robert tried to rape-kiss you..."

"Will it be the same as before if we get back together now?" Misty asked.

"I'd say it's even better than before," Ash answered. "Hopefully, we both learned something from this time apart."

"Aww, thank you so much! I'm so glad you still want me back after this!" Misty replied, while putting Gyarados and Azumarill back in their Poke Balls.

"Come on, then let's get out of this stupid cave and go to Blackthorn!" Ash suggested. He ran forwards, followed by Misty, Pikachu and Togetic.

While running through the icy cold cave, Ash and Misty started talking about their time apart. "And, how was kissing Melody, Ash?" Misty asked.

"Well, she's hot, getting cheek-kisses felt nice, but I just don't love her like I love you," Ash replied.

Then, a very uncomfortable thought started taking over Misty's mind. "Ash, did you..." she tried to ask.

"Did I do what?" he asked.

"Did you have sex with Melody?" she blurted out.

"No, of course not! She wanted to have sex, but that was the moment when I realized I had to get rid of her as soon as possible, and it made me realize that the only one I want to be with is you!" he answered.

"That b*tch just can't stop..." Misty moaned. "She rape-kissed you six years ago, constantly flirts with you, and even tried to have sex with you..."

"Misty, are you jealous?" Ash asked.

"Yes, because I know that you do feel at least some attraction to her!" she snapped.

"That's not romantic attraction, she's hot and that's all!" he defended himself.

"Then why were you two a couple for a while?" she asked.

"I was single and she kissed me, and I started feeling a bit comfortable," he replied. "But she's not someone I feel really romantically attracted to. I could be good friends with her and enjoy her sexiness, but she's not the right girlfriend for me."

"I suppose that makes sense," she said, while knowing that reaching the exit of Ice Path would still take some time. "I never even considered other guys during our separation."

Many hours later, while the sun was going down, Ash and Misty finally reached Blackthorn City. They immediately went to the Pokemon Center to warm up, eat and sleep.

"Good night, Ash," Misty said.

"It's so awesome to sleep with you again, I missed you!" Ash responded.

"We don't have to go to sleep now," Misty suggested.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked, as dense as ever.

"Melody was about to do something intimate with you. However, how about us two doing that to celebrate that we're together again?" she suggested in a teasy way.

"I think I can get on board with that," Ash replied, while noticing that Pikachu and Togetic were asleep in their small two-Pokemon bed.

The next morning, the couple sat on a couch in the lounge of Blackthorn City's Pokemon Center. "Ash, last night was awesome, now I fully feel that we're a couple again. Nothing can ever change that!" Misty said cheerfully.

"Yeah," Ash replied. Then, he heard two young men talking at a table in the Pokemon Center. "Hey, are you taking part in the Pokemon Center lottery as well?" one of them asked.

"Sure, I've heard you can win a Fire Stone," the other one said. "There are only five minutes left to buy a lottery ticket, and in thirty minutes, they'll announce the winner."

"Misty, did you hear that?" Ash asked, while Pikachu sat on his shoulder. "You can win a Fire Stone! That would be perfect for Growlithe!"

"That's not a bad idea," Misty replied. "Do you think Growlithe wants to evolve?"

"I'll ask him," Ash replied. "Growlithe, I choose you!" he shouted, while hurling a Poke Ball.

"Growl!" his Pokemon screamed.

"Growlithe, do you want to evolve? I can win a Fire Stone in the lottery, so I'd like to know whether you'd like that or not." the Fire Pokemon's trainer explained.

"Growl!" the Pokemon nodded, being eager to get stronger.

"Ash, don't make Growlithe happy with nothing! There are hundreds of people participating, the chance that you'll win is incredibly small!" Misty sighed, in an attempt to make Ash see the harsh reality.

"Could be, but you watch me, I'm gonna win!" Ash replied. Then, he walked up to Nurse Joy and gave her ten Poke Dollar. "One lottery ticket for the Fire Stone lottery, please!" he said.

"Here you go! You've got the last ticket, you wouldn't have been able to buy it if you would've been one minute later!" Nurse Joy replied, while giving Ash the last lottery ticket left.

When Ash got back at the couch with Misty, she tried talking sense into him again. "Ash, don't expect too much, you probably won't win..."

"But I feel that this is the winning ticket," her boyfriend countered.

"Growl!" his dog-like Pokemon added to that.

"Toge Togetic!" Togetic shouted, choosing Misty's side.

"Ash, what exactly gives you the feeling that you're gonna win?" Misty asked.

"I don't know..." he answered. "But I still have faith in a good outcome."

Twenty-five minutes later, Nurse Joy was ready to announce the result. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the outcome of today's lottery! The winning ticket is... ticket 500!"

Then, Ash got an intense feeling. A feeling of happiness. "Yes! I've got... A Fire Stone!" he shouted, while doing a victory dance with Pikachu.

Nurse Joy walked up to the Pokemon trainer. "Congratulations, you're so lucky! What are you going to do with your Fire Stone?" she asked.

"Well, as you can see, I have a Growlithe," he said, referring to the dog standing next to him. "And I'm going to use it on this Growlithe." Then, he looked at his dog. "Are you ready?" he asked his Pokemon.

"Growlithe Growl!" the Fire type answered, nodding. And so, while Misty, Togetic, Pikachu and Nurse Joy were looking, Ash made Growlithe touch the stone. Then, he started glowing. His form changed, and his body size increased significantly. When they weren't blinded by the light anymore, the Pokemon howled. "Arrrr!"

"Arcanine, I'm so happy for you!" Ash shouted, while the Fire Pokemon hugged his trainer with his head.

"Congratulations, Ash! It's rare to say this for me, but you were absolutely right this time!" Misty admitted. "He's so happy with his Pokemon, just like me. I used to dislike his Pokemon obsession because he barely focused on me, but I've learned to accept it now. I love my Pokemon too, but I still focus on him as well. But I shouldn't try to change him. Ash is Ash and I love him for that," she thought, showing that she learned from the temporary separation.

"Now, Misty, let's go to the Gym so I can challenge Clair!" Ash suggested.

"All right!" Misty replied, while following her running boyfriend, running next to his Arcanine, followed by her Togetic.

However, when they just got outside the Pokemon Center, Ash and Misty saw a familiar face. Misty knew this wasn't good, a shock went through her body. "Why, Arceus? Why?" she thought. Her Pokemon started worrying as well. "Togetic!"


	31. Chapter 31

"Ash, oh no, it's her!" she shouted. Misty Waterflower's heart was beating faster than usual, while standing in front of the Pokemon Center in Blackthorn City. Her Togetic also didn't seem to like the person who was walking up to her and her boyfriend.

"What's the big deal?" Ash asked. He didn't understand how Misty felt about the girl who tried to steal him away from her.

"Ash, you're so stupid!" Misty snapped!

"Pi Pikachu!" the yellow Pokemon on Ash's shoulder snapped, choosing Misty's side.

"Hi Ash!" Melody said gently, attempting to sound sweet. Everything made it clear that she was flirting. The tone of her voice, her skimpy clothes, the way she touched Ash's arm...

"Melody, knock it off!" Misty snapped. Her cheeks looked flaming red from anger, while her eyes were burning from rage as well.

"What's wrong, Misty? Are you jealous?" Melody teased.

Then, something inside the redhead collapsed. "He's MY boyfriend and it's obvious that you can't respect that! Stop it and go away before I beat the crap out of you!"

"Well, Misty, you're not my boss, you can't tell me what to do!" Melody replied with a teasy tone.

"He's MY boyfriend! F*ck off!" Misty shouted. Ash didn't know what to do and sighed, following Pikachu's example. Meanwhile, Togetic was hovering behind Misty, shocked by everything that was happening.

"You wanna fight about it?" Melody said, while laughing at Misty's rage.

Then, Misty raised her fist and punched Melody in the face. "Here you go, you deserved it!" she snapped.

Steam was coming out of Melody's ears. Not literally, but her face was red from anger. "I don't have to take this from you!"

"Tough luck, you deserved this!" Misty snapped. "Isn't it, Ash?" she asked.

He didn't know what to say. If he chose Misty's side, his friendly rivalry with Melody might be ruined, while choosing Melody's side could be the end of his already fragile and tense relationship with Misty, after everything that has happened.

"Ash, didn't you hear me?" Misty asked. His relationship with Misty was more important to him than his rivalry with Melody, but he still didn't feel fully comfortable with choosing Misty's side. After all, his girlfriend just hit someone in the face, and that didn't feel right to him.

"Misty, I'm on your side, but you shouldn't have hit her!" Ash tried to please both girls. However, they weren't even listening to him anymore.

"You're going to pay for this!" Melody snapped.

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do?" Misty asked.

"A Pokemon battle, of course!" the Shamouti Island-native snapped. "Right here, right now, in the town square in front of the Pokemon Center!"

"Accepted, but don't whine when you lose, you asked for this!" the former Cerulean City Gym Leader replied.

Then, Ash interrupted. "Misty, could we please just go to the Gym? I'm sick of listening to this stupid argument! Girls are so complicated!"

"No! I have to defend my honour as the Whirl Cup winner and defeat this b*tch!" Misty snapped.

"You can't defend any honour if you don't have any honour!" Melody nagged.

"Dewgong, I choose you!" Misty shouted, while hurling a Poke Ball.

"Dew Gong Gong Gong!" a white sea lion Pokemon shouted, while clapping his fins.

"A Dewgong? That Pokemon is sooo pathetic!" Melody shouted, severely offending the Ice-type. Then, she threw a Poke Ball in the air. "Furret, I choose you!" A ferret-like Pokemon with brown stripes came out of the round item.

When Misty was about to command her Dewgong to attack, she noticed that a whole crowd was standing around her and Melody! While she was focusing on her fight with her love rival, she wasn't noticing the crapload of people who gathered, watching the argument. "Wow, this is embarrassing..." she thought.

"Furret, let's start with your Iron Tail!" Melody commanded. While its tail became hard, the ferret ran at the slow sea lion, hitting him with the tail. The Ice Pokemon was severely damaged. "Oh no, a critical hit!" Misty thought. Dewgong stood up, but sustained some severe damage very early in the battle.

"Dewgong!" Misty shouted. "Use your Scald!" A scorching hot ray of water came out of Dewgong's mouth, in a futile attempt to hit the fast ferret. Dewgong kept shooting hot water, but the opponent kept jumping, walking or running away.

"He's simply too fast, you need to try a different strategy!" Ash shouted.

"I know!" Misty snapped.

"Furret, use your Dig!" Melody commanded.

Then, Misty realized that she was close to victory, despite the odds being against her so far. "Dewgong, dive in Furret's tunnel and hit him with an Aurora Beam!" The sea lion did what his trainer wanted. After going in the hole in the ground, the Pokemon quickly reached his opponent, who was about to come out of the ground. Then, a new hole appeared in the ground. Furret got shot out of the hole, after being hit by a strong, colourful beam. The Normal-type fell down on the ground with a smashing blow.

"Oh no!" Melody shouted. "Are you okay, Furret?" she asked. The Pokemon murmured a sound that one could hardly hear. "Come back, I'll take you to a Pokemon Center." While feeling humiliated, she quickly ran away from the battlefield and entered the Pokemon Center. The crowd quickly disappeared: the battle was over, there was nothing more to see.

"Misty, could we PLEASE go to the Gym NOW? I've been waiting for way too long now!" Ash complained.

"Of course, we're finished here now anyways," Misty replied, while she walked through the inner city of Blackthorn. While walking across the shops, skyscrapers and modern buildings, she was reflecting on her behaviour.

"Ash, I feel bad about what just happened..." Misty confessed.

"Of course you do, Melody was flirting with me," Ash replied.

"That's not what I meant..." she moaned. "He's so dumb!" she thought.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, I thought my anger problem was becoming less severe, I thought I was improving. But when I saw Melody, I just couldn't control myself... I still have a very serious problem..." she admitted.

"Well, it's mature of you to look at it like that. But I'd be jealous too if another guy would flirt with you," he replied.

"But you don't use physical violence..." she responded.

"I suppose you're right," he admitted. "Now let's focus on the battle, now we're almost there."

"Oh, alright then," Misty said. She still felt bad, but she knew discussing it with someone as dense as Ash wouldn't help her anyways.

Five minutes later, Ash rang the doorbell of a big, red building just outside Blackthorn's central business district. A woman with light purple hair opened the door. "Hi Ash, long time no see! What are you doing here?"

"Hi Clair, I'm challenging the Gym Leaders in Johto again, so I can participate in the Johto League again," he explained.

"So you're here to battle me?" she asked.

"Yes, could we please battle now?" he asked.

"Of course, I'm ready to battle right here right now," the Gym Leader answered.

"That's fantastic!" Ash responded. He walked towards the watery battlefield, while Misty, Togetic and Pikachu took place on the bench for spectators. The battlefield consisted of water, solely having two small platforms for Pokemon that can't swim.

"This is a three on three Pokemon battle between Gym Leader Clair and challenger Ash Ketchum! Both trainers will use three Pokemon! There is no time limit, we will battle for a Rising Badge!" the referee explained.

"I'm so ready for this! Kingdra, I choose you!" Clair shouted. A big seahorse-like creature emerged from the Poke Ball she was holding.

"Then I choose Bayleef!" Ash shouted. After hurling a Poke Ball, he found himself being hugged by the Grass-type. "Bayleef, it's time to battle. We'll hug if you defeat Kingdra," he said. Bayleef took the signal and looked energetic. She knew she had to win in order to get the desired hug.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Kingdra, let's start with a Dragon Pulse!" the Gym Leader shouted. A strong pulse was shot at the Grass-type, who wasn't mobile enough to avoid getting hit. She was damaged, but not even close to being defeated.

"Bayleef, try a Razor Leaf!" Ash said. A bunch of leaves were aimed at the seahorse, who got hit. The opponent didn't take that much damage, but the first hit was there.

"Kingdra, go near Bayleef and use Hyper Beam!" Clair shouted. The Grass type stood on its platform and couldn't get away. And so, avoiding the powerful beam was impossible.

"Bayleef, no!" Ash screamed. The Grass Pokemon was exhausted, and felt some pain on her left front leg. However, despite a major struggle, she was able to stand up.

"Bayleef, use your Seed Bomb!" Ash shouted. A group of hard seeds were shot at Kingdra, who seemed to be in a great deal of pain.

"Bayleef is strong, but Kingdra can take this. Kingdra, let's finish it with another Hyper Beam!" Clair screamed.

"Bayleef, jump!" Ash commanded. The Pokemon smashed her Vine Whip on the ground and jumped.

"And now use Body Slam!" he shouted. The Leaf Pokemon hurled herself at the Dragon-type with high speed, smashing the opponent to the bottom of the pool. Then, Bayleef jumped back on her platform, while the motionless Kingdra went to the surface. The referee raised his flag. "Kingdra is defeated, Bayleef is the winner!"

"Bayleef, that was awesome!" Ash complimented. "You deserve that hug!"

"Bay Bay!" the Pokemon said, jumping at Ash, giving him a Body Slam of love. She squealed from happiness, while Ash enjoyed how Bayleef loved this moment. However, Misty groaned. She didn't feel comfortable with another female giving Ash a tight hug.

"Ash, your Bayleef is awesome!" Clair praised. "However, my Gyarados can beat her!" Then, she raised her arm and threw a Poke Ball in the air.

"Hmm... Bayleef seems tired, I'll save her for later," Ash thought. "Bayleef, return!" Then, he threw another Poke Ball. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

"Bulbasaur versus Gyarados, begin!" the referee shouted.

"Gyarados, let's start with a Dragon Rage!" Clair decided. A blue orb appeared in the Water type's mouth, from which he shot a ray of energy at Bulbasaur. Unfortunately, the Grass Pokemon didn't know Bayleef's Vine Whip Jump. And so, he was not able to avoid any attacks. The strong beam took its toll: Bulbasaur had trouble getting up.

"Good first move!" Clair complimented her Pokemon.

"Gyaraaa!" the sea snake answered.

Then, Bulbasaur finally stood up. After getting commanded by Ash, he tried using Razor Leaf. Unfortunately, the leaves barely damaged the Dragon-like Pokemon!

"Gyarados, let's finish this with Headbutt!" the Gym Leader commanded.

"Bulbasaur, let's charge for Solarbeam!" Ash shouted. He had a sparkle in his eyes, even though there didn't seem to be any reason for that.

"What? Ash, you're letting Bulbasaur get hit without even trying to attack! Let Bulbasaur attack with something like Vine Whip!" Misty screamed.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu snapped.

Then, Gyarados gave Bulbasaur a smashing blow. While the water was moving because of the power of Gyararados's blow, Bulbasaur was shot in the air. He was severely damaged, but not defeated yet.

"We got him!" Ash cheered. "Bulbasaur, Solarbeam!" The Poison type smiled, aimed his bulb and shot the beam at Gyarados, who was so surprised, that there was no time left to avoid getting hit.

"And now finish it with Bullet Seed!" he added to that. His Bulbasaur, who was back on his platform, shot a few seeds at the opponent, who was almost done for. Some seconds later, after getting hit, the Water Pokemon collapsed. The referee declared Gyarados as defeated!

"Gyarados, oh no!" Clair screamed. She retreated the Pokemon to its Poke Ball.

"That was awesome, Bulbasaur!" Ash complimented.

"Bulba Bulbasaur!" his Pokemon replied.

Clair was still confident that she could win. "You've defeated two of my Pokemon, but Bulbasaur and Bayleef must be exhausted now! Go, Dragonite!" Her strongest Pokemon came out of its Poke Ball.

"Bulbasaur versus Dragonite, begin!" the referee shouted.

"Bulbasaur, let's see if you can weaken him! Use Sludge Bomb!" Ash commanded. He was lucky Professor Oak once taught Bulbasaur this new move, to keep its battling skills sharp. A supply of filthy, sticky goo was hurled at Dragonite.

"Dragonite, dive under water," Clair said. Her Pokemon did what its trainer told it to, completely cleaning itself from the goo.

"Bulbasaur, use your Razor Leaf!" Ash tried. However, this attack didn't affect the Dragon type.

"Dragonite, let's finish this with Iron Tail!" Clair commanded. After getting hard, Dragonite's tail was slammed at Bulbasaur's body. The Grass Pokemon got smacked against the walls and fell down on the ground. And so, the referee acknowledged the defeat.

"Bulbasaur, you wore Dragonite down a little, you did a great job. Come back!" Ash said. Then, he took another Poke Ball from his belt. "Bayleef, I choose you!" he shouted.

"Bay Bay!" the Grass Pokemon squealed.

"Begin!" the referee said.

"Bayleef, use your Leech Seed!" Ash commanded. The seed was shot at Dragonite, who simply evaded the attack.

"Bayleef, try again," her trainer said. However, the opponent avoided this second attempt, and also the third attempt following this one.

"Dragonite, let's finish this with Horn Drill!" Clair shouted. The dragon made its horn spin, while aiming at the Grass type.

"Bayleef, try to hit it with Leech Seed while it's coming at you!" Ash said. He knew it would only be a matter of time before Bayleef would be defeated, but wanted to inflict as many damage as possible first.

And so it happened. Dragonite was able deliver Bayleef the final blow, but got hit by Leech Seed.

"Bayleef is defeated, Dragonite is the winner!" the referee said.

"Bayleef, that was great!" Ash complimented. "Have some rest." Then, he threw another Poke Ball. "Arcanine, I choose you!"

"Arcanine versus Dragonite, begin!" the referee announced.

"Dragonite, use your Aqua Tail!" the Gym Leader said. Her Pokemon tried to hit the dog, but the Fire-type jumped just in time to avoid getting hit.

"Arcanine, use your Flamethrower on the water!" Ash commanded. "Charizard did this last time I battled Clair, doing it again will allow Arcanine to avoid moves by walking away, and not just by jumping," he thought. And so, the water turned into damp, allowing Arcanine to use the entire battlefield.

"Dragonite, fly above him and use your Hyper Beam!" Clair commanded. A strong, yellow beam was shot out of the Dragon's horn, striking down on Arcanine.

"No, Arcanine!" Ash cried. The dog lay on the floor, and didn't look like he'd be able to stand up soon.

"Oh no..." Misty muttered. Her Togetic looked worried, just like Pikachu.

"Arcanine, can you go on?" Ash asked. The Fire-type tried to stand up, but failed.

"Arcanine is..." the referee attempted to say. But then, the Pokemon succeeded: he stood up!

"Apologies for the inconvenience, please continue the battle," the referee apologised.

"It doesn't matter," Clair said. "One more hit and your Arcanine is done for!"

"Nair..." her Dragon-type moaned. It felt an intense shock of pain going through its body.

"Leech Seed is starting to suck more and more energy from Dragonite," Misty said happily. "Ash, having Bayleef use Leech Seed was a really smart move!"

"Arcanine, we can still win this!" Ash shouted happily. "Use your Fire Blast!" A shot of intense flames was shot at Dragonite, who was incapable of moving, thanks to the lack of energy.

"Dragonite, I don't think you can use direct attacks now, so let's try what we can do from a long distance. Use your Thunderbolt!" Clair commanded. The dragon made lightning escape its body, but Arcanine ran away from the attack. Despite being hurt and tired, the dog was still able to avoid attacks, unlike its opponent.

"Arcanine, now finish this with your Take Down!" Ash said happily.

"Arrr!" the Fire type screamed, while running at his opponent. Then, he made the dragon fling against the wall. Then, Dragonite fell down.

"Dragonite is unable to battle! Arcanine is the winner! Victory goes to Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!" the referee stated.

"We did it!" Ash screamed. He ran at his Pokemon, giving the star of the battle a well-deserved hug. Meanwhile, Clair returned her Dragonite to its Poke Ball, complimenting it for a good performance in battle.

Then, Clair walked up to him. "Ash, making the water disappear by heating it was a very smart strategy. And your Arcanine really surprised me, it's so strong! And it was really smart how Bayleef used Leech Seed on Dragonite!"

"Thanks, Clair," he said.

"You're welcome," she responded. "Here's your Rising Badge." She handed over a black, sparkly Badge.

"YES!" he cheered. "I'VE GOT... THE RISING BADGE!"

"Pi Pikachu!" the glory hunter shouted, despite not having any role during this battle.

"Arrr!" the true star barked. Then, Ash took a Poke Ball from his belt and called his winner Pokemon back. He walked towards the door, holding Misty's hand. "Bye Clair!" Ash and Misty said simultaneously.

"Bye guys! And Ash, thanks for the awesome battle!" Clair responded.

"Misty, will we go to Mt. Silver now?" Ash begged.

"Ash, the League is still some time away from now, and we still have a long way to go. We need to go to New Bark Town, and then pass through a big natural area. Then, there's a cave. When we get out of that cave, we'll reach Mt. Silver," Misty explained.

"Then let's go to New Bark Town now!" he suggested.

"Ash, sorry, but I'd like to go clothe shopping again. The weather is getting warmer and warmer, so I'd like to get a new outfit. It's time to take off the winter clothes, and to buy a new belly top, and shorts, or maybe a skirt. There's a discount at my favourite store, so this seems like a perfect occasion to buy that kind of clothes now!" she explained.

"Oh no!" he screamed. He reminded last time when he and her went clothe shopping. While she tried on clothes, he was bored and fell asleep multiple times. "Do I have to go into that stupid store with you?"

"No, I can go there alone. Meanwhile, you can look in stores you like, or do some Pokemon battle," she suggested.

"Alright then, I could look for a birthday gift for you. I know your birthday is during the League, but this is the last city with a decent shopping mall until we get to Mt. Silver," he replied. "I hope you'll come back wearing an outfit that allows me to have lots of gushing pleasure."

"I'll do my best!" Misty said, while laughing. "Okay then, let's meet up here again in two hours."

And so, while Ash and Pikachu went east from the Gym, Misty and Togetic entered Blackthorn City's Hot Topic. What kind of new clothes will Misty buy, will Ash like her new summer attire or not? And, more important, what will Ash buy for Misty's birthday? Will it be a romantic gift, or a very painful failure?


	32. Chapter 32

"I can't take much more..." he moaned, after looking at the tenth gift store he visited. Ash Ketchum was looking for a birthday present for his girlfriend, but wasn't able to find anything. He saw many things in the shops he visited, but no gift would fit Misty. The only thing he was able to buy is food for himself, an unhealthy pizza dinner.

Then, he walked across a traveling agency. "Hmm... Maybe a nice holiday?" he thought. When he walked into the yellow building, he saw a few people standing in front of the counter. Then, his eye fell on the big, blue advertisement on the wall. "Let's go to Humilau!" he read. "Go to Humilau City for seven days! Sun, sea and beach for only 100.000 Poke Dollar, including a journey per plane, a fancy hotel and free food!" A twinkle was visible in his eyes. "This is perfect! A vacation with lots of sunbathing and swimming, Misty is gonna love this!" he thought. He grabbed his wallet from his backpack to see if he had enough money left. A few seconds later, tears were flowing down his cheek. He was just 100 Poke Dollar short of being able to pay the vacation of his dreams!

The slender, blonde-haired girl behind the corner noticed the tears. "Why are you crying?" she asked.

"Well, I don't have enough money for the holiday of my girlfriend's dreams... I wanted to surprise her, but 999.900 Poke Dollar isn't enough..." he complained.

"A handsome trainer like you can't pay for this? Well, maybe I have an idea... Do you have any things in your bag that could be worth something? Maybe I could accept money and an item of value..." the employee asked.

"Well, I could give you a Poke Ball, those are worth around 100 Poke Dollar..." Ash suggested. "Pi Pikachu!" his Pokemon begged, hoping that the employee would accept this offer.

"Splendid, I'll accept your money and that empty Poke Ball," the girl said, while Ash's tears started to dry up. "When would you two like to leave?"

"After the Johto League. That tournament ends on 29 June, so I'd like to go there on 30 June, Misty's birthday," he answered

"Misty? You mean the famous Misty?" the blonde asked. "The girl who won the Whirl Cup?"

"Yes," Ash replied.

"You're the luckiest guy in the world!" the employee responded.

"Thanks!" he said, while leaving the store.

He quickly looked at his watch. 6:55 PM. He had to hurry, Misty would be waiting at 7:00 PM! "Come on, Pikachu! Hurry!" he shouted, while running towards the southern border of Blackthorn City.

"Pika Pika!" his Pokemon yelled, while running as fast as he could.

And then, he made it just in time. "Misty, I've got the perfect present for you," he gasped out of exhaustion. "I won't tell you what it is yet."

"That's so sweet, thank you!" she replied. "By the way, how do you like my new outfit?" she asked, while posing like a model.

Ash noticed her sporty white shoes, her flattering jeans, her white, long-sleeved belly top and her checkered scarf. "Wow, that is awesome!" he complimented. He liked how it revealed her belly, and how it was much more flattering than the thick winter coat she wore during the past few months.

"Thank you," Misty replied, while Togetic was hovering behind her. "I'm glad you like it too! I also bought new summer clothes, but I thought this would be better for spring."

One hour later, the two and their Pokemon were on the road again. Then, they encountered a building they saw before. "Hey, that's the Coastline Gym!" Ash noticed.

"Hey yeah, Dorian used to work here until he took over Cerulean City's Gym," Misty added to that.

"I'm curious who runs this Gym now," Ash said.

"Well, let's go in," Misty replied.

And so, they entered the blue, stadium-like building. Quickly, after walking through a dark, black tunnel, they reached the battlefield. There, they saw a brown-haired girl wearing a pink one-piece swimsuit doing some training exercises. "Croconaw, shoot these targets with your Water Gun!" she shouted, while throwing some targets in the air.

"Hey, it's Trinity!" Ash noticed.

"Hi Trinity! Are you the Gym Leader here?" Misty asked, while Croconaw successfully hit all the targets.

"Yes, this job was free to take when Dorian went to the Cerulean Gym, I thought like it would be a good idea to settle down here. I've travelled a lot, so now I want to live in one place for a while," Trinity answered her friend's question.

"I understand. I wouldn't want this job myself, but I understand your reasoning," Misty replied. "By the way, would you like to battle?"

"That's nice, I'd love to get revenge after the Whirl Cup!" Trinity replied. "How about an underwater battle?"

"That would be awesome!" Misty replied. "I'll put my bikini on in that dresser room and put an underwater breather on, I see you already have one."

And so, a few minutes later, Ash and Misty wore their swimwear and were using underwater breathers. Pikachu and Togetic also borrowed some breathers from Trinity, so they could see the battle too.

"How about we both use one Pokemon? I'll battle with Lanturn," Trinity referred to the Pokemon swimming next to her in the dark, deep, blue water below the battlefield.

"Alright then," Misty replied. She threw a Poke Ball she took from her backpack. "Corsola, I choose you!"

"Good luck, Misty," Ash said, backed by Pikachu and Togetic.

"Lanturn, let's start with Spark!" Trinity commanded. The electric fish swam at Corsola with high speed, followed by an electrifying tackle. Not only was the attack very effective against its fellow Water type, the shock was also strengthened by the fact that water conducts electricity.

"Corsola, are you alright?" Misty asked her stunned Pokemon. Despite being heavily damaged, Corsola decided to keep battling.

"Wow, Lanturn sure is fast..." Ash moaned. "And Corsola is pretty slow, Misty will have a hard time against Trinity..."

"That's the spirit!" Misty complimented her Pokemon. "Now use your Spike Cannon!" Corsola started to shoot pointy needles out of its horns.

"Lanturn, avoid that attack," Trinity said. And so, the Electric type quickly swam away.

"And now Thunder!" the Coastline Gym Leader shouted. A big jolt of electricity came out of the lights on Lanturn's forehead, zapping Corsola, who was too late to use Mirror Coat, which Misty ordered her to. Trinity wore an electricity-proof swimsuit, while Pikachu took the blow for Ash, Misty and Togetic. As an Electric type, the yellow mouse had no trouble sustaining this move.

"Corsola, no!" Misty screamed. Then, she took the Poke Ball in her hand and retreated the defeated Pokemon. "You did your best, that's all I can ask. You're awesome, Corsola." Then, she swam at the winner. "Congratulations, Trinity, your Lanturn is very strong. And you made use this underwater battlefield very well!"

"You're welcome," Trinity replied.

"Would you like to do a rematch tomorrow? Ash and I will be in our sleeping bags and will sleep in front of this Gym, and then come back tomorrow. Misty suggested."

"I think I have a batter idea," Trinity said. "You two could stay here tonight. It's getting dark, and I have a two-person bed in a guestroom for you two. Then, after breakfast, we could battle again."

"Thank you, that would be awesome," Misty said, while yawning. "Ash, are you okay with that?" she asked.

"Sure," Ash responded. "I'm tired too, it's definitely much better than sleeping in a sleeping bag."

Trinity put Lanturn in its Poke Ball and swam upwards, followed by the travelling couple. After brushing their teeth, taking their swimwear off and putting their nightwear on, they went to the guestroom. While they lay in the bed, they saw yellow painted walls with photos of Trinity's Lanturn, back when it was a Chinchou. Misty even noticed a very special photo.

"Ash, look! That's a photo taken during the Whirl Cup six years ago, when Trinity defeated me," she noticed.

"Yeah, I see," Ash replied. "Your Corsola was pretty confused back the, I remember that battle."

"That type combination of Water and Electric is really strong, but there must be a way to defeat them without having to rely on opponents triggering Psyduck's headache..." she moaned. "But how?"

"I don't know," he said. "A Grass type could beat it with ease, but you probably want to beat it with a Water type, so Hoppip isn't an option... Maybe you could ask Professor Oak to rotate some of your Pokemon, so you could surprise Trinity with a Pokemon of yours she never saw..."

"Rotate? That's it! Thanks, Ash!" Misty cheered. "I know what I have to do now!"

"What's your plan?" Ash asked.

"You'll see that tomorrow, and I won't have to call Professor Oak" she replied, while turning off the light. "Good night, Ash." She didn't get a reply anymore: Ash was already snoring from sleep. Meanwhile, Pikachu and Togetic were sleeping too. Not long after that, Misty fell asleep as well.

Not too long after that, at the end of this evening, a sinister duo and their Meowth entered the Gym. "This place is open for everyone, just so they can attract more challengers," a purple-haired man said.

"But instead of challengers, they attract thieves," a red-haired woman added to that.

"Before she went to sleep, I saw how that leader put her wallet under her pillow, I saw that by spying on her with this binocular. And in the local newspaper, I read she doesn't trust banks, so there must be lots of money in that wallet!" the cat Pokemon said.

Then, the trio walked up to Trinity's room. However, unfortunately for them, when opening the door, the Coastline Gym Leader woke up!

"Who are you three, what are you doing in my room?" Trinity asked, while her eyes were still sleepy.

"That's none of your business, lady," Meowth whispered, while James sent his Roselia out of his Poke Ball.

"Roselia, put her back to sleep with your Sleep Powder," the purple-haired thief ordered softly. A cloud of powder covered the Leader, who quickly fell asleep again. Then, Meowth grabbed the red wallet from under the pillow. After that, the thieves and the Roselia ran away from the Gym.

After running a few kilometers away from the Gym, Meowth opened the wallet. "Wow, twelve million Poke Dollars! We're rich! That's four million for all of us!"

"I don't think so, Meowth!" James screamed. "My Roselia made this theft possible, so I deserve a slightly bigger share than you and Jessie!" Roselia agreed with this, and made this clear by nodding.

"But I spied on Trinity and came up with this plan!" Meowth countered. "Jessie did nothing, so she doesn't deserve anything!"

"But I went in there with you two, and I need it much more than you two! I need expensive beauty treatments and fashionable, expensive clothes!" Jessie snapped.

A few counterarguments later, the three got into a fight for the money. "It was MY idea!" "It was MY Roselia!" "I need it the most!" the three shouted to each other. Then, they heard a voice from some distance and saw someone standing there with a black Pokemon. "Hold it right there!" the person shouted.

The next morning, Ash, Misty and their Pokemon woke up early after hearing Trinity talking to a police officer at the door. "You're very lucky a teen and his Umbreon took the wallet from the thieves and brought it to the police station," they heard someone saying through the open window.

"Thank you so much, Officer Jenny! I remember how I woke up at night and then fell asleep quickly after seeing a Roselia in my room, I don't remember much else than that..." Trinity replied. "Bye!"

After showering, brushing their teeth and putting their swimwear on, Ash and Misty came downstairs. "Why was Officer Jenny there?" Ash asked.

"You can read all about it in the Northern Johto Times, it's on the front page," Trinity answered.

Ash took the paper and started to read the story on the front page, while Misty read along while sitting next to her boyfriend. "League candidate stops thieves" was the headline. "Yesterday, late in the evening, a trio of thieves tried to steal Coastline City Gym Leader Trinity's money. However, they were stopped cold by a traveling trainer and his Umbreon. In a response to a reporter, seventeen year old Johto League participant Gary Oak gave this reaction: "I wasn't able to fall asleep, so Umbreon and I decided to walk onwards to Mt. Silver. Then, we saw those three thugs fighting about money. I know those three Team Rocket members, I knew they must've stolen something. When they saw me, they quickly ran away, but dropped the wallet. I wasn't able to catch the thieves, but I was at least able to bring this wallet to the police station." The police gave the potential League winner a reward of 5.000 Poke Dollar."

"Yeah, I'm glad Gary was there, otherwise I would've been in big trouble!" Trinity said. "I just got my monthly wage some days ago, and one month without money would've made me unable to buy food," she explained.

"I didn't notice any thief, I was asleep quickly after going to bed," Misty replied.

"Me neither," Ash responded.

After they finished their breakfast, Ash and Misty saw Trinity was already wearing her electricity-proof bathing suit again. "Misty, would you like to battle now?" the Gym Leader asked.

"Sure!" the former Gym Leader replied. After putting on an underwater breather, she ran towards the battlefield and jumped into the water, followed by Ash, Pikachu, Trinity and Togetic.

"Trinity, shall we both use one Pokemon again, just like yesterday?" Misty asked.

"Sure, I choose Lanturn again," Trinity replied.

"Misty, what was that idea you had yesterday evening?" Ash asked.

"You'll see it soon today," Misty assured her boyfriend.

"Good luck!" he said. "Pikachu Pi!" his Pokemon backed that, supported by Togetic. "Toge Togetic!"

"Seadra, I choose you!" Misty shouted, while hurling a Poke Ball. "Sea!" the seahorse shouted energetically.

"Lanturn, let's start with your Spark again!" Trinity ordered. However, this time, the attack didn't hit.

"Seadra, avoid it by using Agility!" Misty said. It turned out that the seahorse was way faster than Corsola, allowing him to have an easier time against Lanturn.

"Now use Smokescreen!" Misty ordered. A ball of black haze was hurled at Lanturn, who was unable to aim its attacks well now.

"Don't worry, Lanturn," Trinity said. The Electric Pokemon was capable of seeing through the smoke by using the lights on its head. "Use your Signal Beam!" A green and red ray of light was shot at Seadra, who was too surprised to avoid getting hit. However, the Pokemon was able to take the hit quite well.

"Seadra, use your Headbutt!" Misty commanded. The already fast dragon-like Pokemon was faster than usual after using Agility, enabling it to hit the electric opponent before it even had a chance to avoid the attack.

"Lanturn, you can take more than that, use your Take Down!" Trinity shouted. However, Seadra was fast enough to avoid the attack. And not only that, after wearing Lanturn down by letting the opponent follow him in attempts to hit it with Take Down, the seahorse gave the Electric type another blow with Headbutt.

"Wow, that was a strong hit!" Ash cheered. "Go, Seadra!"

"Seadra, now finish it with Twister!" Misty said happily. "Sea!" the Pokemon said, while creating a huge whirlpool.

"Lanturn, try to avoid it!" Trinity screamed. However, it was too late. Her Pokemon was trapped in the twister, there was no chance to escape.

"Now finish it with Dragonbreath!" Misty ordered. A green breath came out of Seadra's snout, stunning Lanturn for the final blow.

"Misty, you did it!" Ash said happily, while Pikachu hugged his trainer's girlfriend. Togetic swam at Misty as well, only to be knocked away by Seadra, who wanted to be hugged by his trainer.

"Lanturn, you were great again. Have some rest," Trinity said, while retreating the Pokemon. Then, she swam at Misty, who finished hugging everyone. "Misty, that was awesome. Your Seadra impressed me while I was watching your battle with Juan in the Whirl Cup, and this is even more impressive," she complimented. "I see you didn't ease up after your big win, you kept on working and will keep doing that. Your future is very bright!" Then, she looked at Seadra. "Your future too!" she said, causing her to receive a hug from the Pokemon.

Half an hour later, Seadra was in its Poke Ball, and our heroes were just outside the Coastline Gym again after saying goodbye to Trinity. They walked onwards to New Bark Town, where Ash would register for the Johto League.

"Misty, now I get what you meant when you said rotating was the key to winning: Twister!" Ash mentioned.

"That's right. I figured that Lanturn was too strong when having a type advantage against my Pokemon, and also being able to take advantage of the underwater battlefield, so I thought speed and the element of surprise were the key to winning." Misty explained.

"And you got the idea from me!" Ash bragged.

"I came up with it when you mentioned the word 'rotating', you never came up with any actual ideas at all!" Misty snapped. "And besides, you barely use tactics in battle, you just rely on luck!"

"And how about the way you beat Trinity in the Whirl Cup with Psyduck?" Ash countered.

"That was a one-time thing, I didn't even want to use Psyduck back then!" Misty complained.

"Pi Pi Pi..." Pikachu moaned to Togetic, which could be translated as "Oh no, there we go again..."

"To Togetic!" Togetic replied, which could be translated as "Don't worry, those two will stop soon, their frequent small Sunday afternoon arguments usually don't last much longer than half an hour."

And so, after Misty's exciting and valuable battles against an old friend, our heroes walked onwards to New Bark Town.


	33. Chapter 33

A few weeks later, Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Togetic were still walking through the mountain area in the east of Johto, the long road to New Bark Town.

"Misty, how long will it take before we reach New Bark Town?" Ash moaned.

"Well, we're about halfway between Blackthorn City and New Bark Town now, which took one week, so it'll probably take another week," Misty said.

"An entire week? That sucks..." Ash complained, while his Pikachu sighed.

"Pikachu, don't be difficult! You can sit on my shoulder or head all the time, I have to walk!" Ash snapped at his Pokemon.

"Pi Pika, Pikachu!" the Electric-type shouted.

"Okay then, Pikachu, if you don't think it's that bad, try walking next to me for some time!" the trainer screamed. Togetic giggled, noticing how her fellow Pokemon was getting himself in trouble.

"That does it!" Pikachu thought. He released a bolt of electricity on Ash, causing the trainer to fall down on the ground.

"Okay then, Pikachu, you can sit on my shoulder..." Ash sighed.

"That's better Ash, you were being very childish!" Misty said in a teasy way, much to Ash's frustration. However, he decided to not make a big deal out of it, knowing that would only get him in trouble.

Then, when coming across of a video phone on the wall, Misty walked to the object. "Ash, I have to make a phonecall, it won't take long."

"What about?" Ash asked.

"Well, I want to know how Dorian is doing at the Cerulean Gym," Misty said.

"Why? You're not in charge there anymore and you're happy with that, why would you call him?" he asked.

"Well, I still feel responsible, despite absolutely not wanting to be a Gym Leader. I have full faith in Dorian, but if he screws up and the Gym gets closed, I'd feel extremely guilty... I just want to make sure everything is going fine," she explained, while waiting for someone at the Gym to pick up the phone there.

"Hello, this is Dorian speaking," a brown-haired man said.

"Good afternoon, Dorian. It's me, Misty," the redhead said.

"Hi Misty, I haven't spoken to you in almost seven years! Congratulations on winning the Whirl Cup, I saw you on TV! Anyways, why did you call me?" he asked.

"Thanks," she answered. "Anyways, how are you doing at the Gym? Despite not being a Gym Leader anymore, I just have to make sure everything is going fine."

"Well, yesterday, the Pokémon Inspection Agency came here, and the Gym passed the test without any trouble," he assured.

"That's a huge relief, thanks!" she said.

"Also, Misty, you look really great with your long hair down! I used to think you were ugly, but now you're like a mermaid," he said. "You look even better than your sisters!"

"Well, thanks, I suppose…" she muttered, not sure whether she should appreciate the compliment or pop Dorian in the mouth the first time she met him in real life again. "Anyways, how are my sisters doing?" she asked.

"Gosh, they're annoying! Daisy is constantly being all mushy with Tracey, who comes over every day, I once even caught them tongue-kissing on the battlefield when my Mantine and I were about to challenge some rookie! And Violet and Lily never help me with anything, they constantly ask me about how their make-up, their fashionable clothes and that kind of sh*t looks... How many times I tell them I don't know and I don't care, they just don't stop..." Dorian said.

"That's no surprise to me... Consider yourself lucky they didn't totally ruin your life, goals and dreams, like they did to me..." Misty said.

"Yeah, I once heard Violet and Lily talking about that, they didn't regret anything. After all, I recently heard them saying their modeling careers are more important. They said you had to make offers to give them the time to give them the opportunity to get big amounts of money without them having to do more than posing for some magazines," Dorian said.

"Typically those two... Apparently, earning a little bit more money is more important than my life, hope, dreams and happiness... Even though it would've been easy for them to just appoint someone, they just used their younger sister to get out of their responsibilities..." Misty said. "And did you ever hear Daisy say anything about this?"

"Well, she showed signs of regret," Dorian said, much to Misty's surprise. "She feels bad about wasting six years of your life without caring about your emotions, she really regrets ruining your early teen years, she thinks it was wrong to just use you for that" he explained. "She and I recently talked about that. To me, Daisy seems much more mature than Lily and Violet. Those two are shallow airheads. Daisy has some traits like that too, but much less worse."

Misty was shocked. "Gosh... Maybe I was too harsh to Daisy during the Whirl Cup... On one hand, she really seems to regret everything... But on the other hand, she once offered me money if I would forgive her, and made Tracey ask that because I didn't want to talk to her. She can't just buy me out of my right to have emotional problems and my right to be mad about what happened when that's justified! What they did to me is not a small thing, it's not easy to forgive someone for that..."

"I understand," Dorian said. "She's not a bad girl anymore, and maybe the things that happened were mostly because of Lily and Violet, but she had a part in it too."

"Yeah... If she would've really cared about my life and emotions, she would've tried to help me to leave the Gym, instead of keeping me there for six years!" Misty said. "But still, she really seems to feel remorseful since the moment I left the Gym, so maybe I should forgive her..."

"So, do you forgive your sisters or not?" Dorian asked.

"I just don't know... Maybe Daisy..." the former Cerulean Gym Leader said softly. "I'm more and more inclined to forgive her, I do have to admit that..."

"I understand why it's difficult. I won't tell them about this phonecall, you can talk to them when you feel ready," Dorian said.

"Dorian, is something the matter? You look tired, your face looks a little red..." Misty asked.

"No, it's fine. I'm just tired," the Gym Leader answered.

"Thanks for this phonecall, bye!" Misty said, backed by her Pokemon. "Toge Togetic!"

"Bye, Misty," Dorian said.

After that, Ash and Misty walked onwards, through the big, rocky, mountain area. As promised, Pikachu sat on Ash's shoulder like always, while Togetic was hovering next to Misty. Then, Ash saw something. "Hey, look Misty, a mountain climber!"

"Hey yeah, I see," Misty said.

"Maybe he's a Pokemon trainer," he stated his initial thought.

"Why does that matter?" she asked.

"Well, I could battle him," he suggested.

"Is there any moment you don't think about Pokemon battles?" she asked.

"Nope," he answered.

Then, the mountain climber jumped off the mountain, using a parachute to land safely. "Hey, Ash and Misty, long time no see!" he said. It was Danny, the Navel Island Gym Leader.

"Um... Hi..." Misty said softly.

"Danny, do you still have feelings for Misty?" Ash asked.

"No, I've gotten over that now. In fact, I yesterday, I saw a really hot woman behind the counter in the supermarket in Blackthorn City, and I'm gonna ask her out soon. Ash, I'm sorry for flirting with Misty, I should've respected that you love her and that she loves you. And Misty, sorry if I made you uncomfortable with it," Danny said.

"It's fine, as long as this is really true," Misty answered. "I felt flattered by the compliments, but it also creeped my out. I'm glad you're over this."

"Anyways, I'm here to train in mountain climbing, I have to stay in shape to climb the mountain of my Gym challenge, and I thought it would be nice to try climbing some mountains outside of the Orange Islands for a change. What are you two doing here, by the way?" Danny asked.

"I'm going to participate in the Johto League," Ash answered.

"And you, Misty?" the Navel Island-native asked.

"I won the Whirl Cup some months ago, and I travel with Ash and am still aiming to become a Water Pokemon Master," Misty said.

"Nice, congratulations!" Danny replied. Then, he looked at Ash. "Hey, Ash, how about a quick battle before you two go onwards?"

"Of course, that's awesome!" Ash shouted. "When I saw you, it was the first thing I was thinking about!"

"Good luck, Ash!" Misty cheered, backed by a cheering Togetic.

"Thanks, Misty," Ash said, while throwing a Poke Ball. "Snorlax, I choose you!" Then, Pikachu joined Misty and Togetic in cheering.

"Snorlax, huh? Electrode, I choose you!" Danny shouted, while throwing a Poke Ball, releasing a red and white ball-like Pokemon from the round object.

"Snorlax, let's start with Ice Punch," Ash said, causing his slow, sleepy Pokemon to attempt hitting the Electric-type. However, the opponent quickly rolled away.

"Electrode, Rollout!" Danny shouted. The Electric-type quickly rolled at Snorlax, only to bump into his fat belly, not being able to do any damage.

"Snorlax, try a Body Slam!" Ash commanded. His Pokemon jumped into the air, hoping to crush Electrode, but ended up crashing down on the ground without hitting his opponent, who evaded the attack again. Instead of damaging the opponent, the lazy Pokemon only damaged himself! However, despite the damage, Snorlax fell asleep.

"Come on, Snorlax, wake up!" Ash screamed. Unfortunately, he didn't get a response from his sleepy Pokemon.

"Electrode, zap him with your Thunderbolt!" Danny shouted. The ball Pokemon quickly shot a bolt of lightning at the Normal-type, doing some severe damage. Snorlax looked exhausted and lay down on his back.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu shouted, backed by his girlfriend. "Togetic!" Then, Snorlax woke up, stood up and gave Electrode an angry look.

"He's getting tired," Danny laughed.

"He's getting mad!" Misty said.

"Snorlax, use your Hyper Beam!" Ash commanded. A strong ray of power was shot at the Electric-type, even strong enough to make the opponent collapse in one hit.

"Electrode, no!" Danny screamed while looking at his Pokemon. "You did a good job, come back," he said while returning Electrode to its Poke Ball.

"Well done, Snorlax," Ash complimented his Pokemon. Then, he looked at Danny. "Well, if you anger Snorlax, you lose!"

"Yeah, you're right," the Gym Leader admitted, while Ash returned Snorlax to his Poke Ball.

"Bye, Danny!" Misty said.

"And thanks for the battle," Ash added to that.

"Bye, it was nice to see you two again," Danny replied.

One day later, Ash and Misty already progressed quite a bit further on the road to New Bark Town.

"Misty, do you have all the clothes you need, or do you need to buy any more clothes before we reach the Johto League? If you do, I hope you'll do it in New Bark Town, so we got it over with as soon as possible..." Ash asked.

"No, I have everything I need. Six panties and six bras, a few pairs of shoes and socks, a few pairs of jeans, a few belly tops, a cardigan, a winter coat, two pairs of shorts, three skirts and a bikini," Misty answered.

"Didn't you once say you always wanted seven panties and seven bras when travelling?" Ash asked.

"Oh my god, you're right! I must've forgotten one pantie and one bra in Blackthorn City's Pokemon Center while changing my underwear, but going back would take too long... We'll have to shop for those in New Bark Town," Misty answered, much to Ash's annoyance.

"Oh, why couldn't I keep my mouth shut?" Ash asked himself out loud.

"Because you lack the maturity you need for that?" Misty asked.

"Oh well, at least it's underwear shopping, that's hotter than regular clothe shopping with you, at least I get to see sexiness while going with you and telling you how the underwear looks in the store when you ask for my opinion," Ash said.

"That's my Ashyboy!" Misty said, while Pikachu and Togetic laughed.

"So you're not mad about that remark being unromantic?" he asked.

"No, it's fine. It's just who you are, so it's best to laugh about that when possible," she answered.

As predicted by Misty, one week later, just after breakfast, our heroes finally reached New Bark Town.

"Finally, I can't wait until I register for the Johto League!" Ash screamed. "Let's run to the Pokemon Center immediately!"

"Not so fast, Ash," Misty said. "How about paying Professor Elm a visit first? He lives next to the Pokemon Center anyways, it won't take long."

"Alright then, why not?" Ash answered. "Maybe he has any new discoveries to show us, we haven't seen him in almost seven years."

And so, after walking through the small park and the busy streets in the town, our heroes reached the big building. Togetic rang the doorbell.

A man wearing a white lab coat opened the door. "Hey, Ash and Misty, long time no see!" he said.

"Hi Professor Elm," Misty replied.

"We're on our way to Mt. Silver, we were in the neighborhood, so we decided to pay you a visit," Ash explained.

"That's nice of you two, how are you two?" the professor asked.

"I'm on my way to register for the Johto League, I have eight Badges. It's the second time I'm participating in this region," Ash answered.

"That's nice," Professor Elm said. "How about you, Misty?"

"I'm accompanying my boyfriend, and I'm working on becoming a Water Pokemon Master. I won the Whirl Cup months ago, Ash and I are going to Hoenn after the Whirl Cup," Misty said.

"Are you two boyfriend and girlfriend? That's so cute! How did you two start your relationship?" the professor asked.

"Well, Ash realized his feelings while he was travelling without me some years ago, I escaped the Cerulean City Gym almost one year ago and already knew I love him back when I was ten years old. Then, he and I met at the beach close to Pallet Town, and things just happened," Misty explained.

"That's very romantic. But don't you two argue way too often to be a couple?" Elm asked.

"Yes, we argue frequently," Ash admitted.

"But we love each other enough to stay together despite that," Misty said.

"That's so sweet!" Elm complimented.

"Professor, we were wondering about something. Did you make any special discoveries recently?" Ash asked.

"Not really..." the professor said. "Wait, there's one thing, but I'm not supposed to tell you. Oh well, I trust you two, you two can keep a secret, right?" Ash and Misty nodded, causing Elm to tell his story. "Well, during a journey in Hoenn, I encountered a Togepi and saw the Togepi Paradise. I've never heard of that place before, but I'm not allowed to tell people about it. However, I hope you two can keep your mouth shut," the professor replied.

"The Togepi Paradise? We've been there once!" Ash said, referring to the time when Misty had to release her Togetic.

"Really? Aww, I thought I discovered something no one aside from the people in the Mirage Kingdom knew about!" Elm said.

"Yes, I released Togetic there to protect the Togepi. However, about a year ago, Togetic suddenly returned to me two years ago, I never knew why," Misty mentioned. "But I'm happy to have the Pokemon that means everything to me back, Togetic came back to me at the moment I needed her the most. I was suffering from a depression back then, Togetic helped me to get over that."

"To Togetic!" the cute Pokemon said happily.

"That's great! And if you want to know why Togetic returned to you, you'd have to ask Queen Sara of the Mirage Kingdom," Professor Elm said. "Maybe she knows..."

"We'll do that when we're in Hoenn," Ash said.

"That's good," Professor Elm said.

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu whispered.

"Misty, shall we go to the Pokemon Center now? I really want to register now!" Ash suggested.

"Oh, alright then," Misty said. Then, she looked at the professor. "Professor Elm, thank you, it was nice to see you again."

"It was nice to see you and Ash again as well. Bye! And Ash, good luck in the Johto League, I'll be rooting for you when it airs on television!" the Professor shouted.

"Thanks!" Ash replied. "Bye!"

And so, Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Togetic left the laboratory and entered the Pokemon Center, next to the lab. While opening the door and entering the building, Pikachu received a kiss on his cheek from Togetic.


	34. Chapter 34

Almost a year after the start of his journey with Misty, Ash ran at his girlfriend, who was sitting on a couch near the New Bark Town Pokemon Center's cell phones. "My registration is complete!"

Then, they heard a phone ring. The former Cerulean Gym Leader quickly picked up the call.

"Hi Misty," a pink-haired girl said. It was Lily, one of Misty's sisters.

"Hi Lily, how did you know I'm here?" Misty asked.

"Well, when Dorian called you one week ago, you were in the mountain area between Blackthorn City and New Bark Town, so we thought you would've reached New Bark Town by now," Lily explained.

"Okay... Anyways, why are you calling me?" Misty asked.

"Did you notice how tired Dorian was when you called him last week?" Lily asked.

"Yes," Misty answered. "Did anything happen to him?" she was shocked, fearing something terrible might've happened.

"Well, he went to the doctor yesterday, he has a burn-out. The doctor said he can't work for three months!" Lily said.

"Aww, that's too bad... And now?" Misty asked.

"That's pretty much why we're calling you right now. Misty, you have to take over for three months!" Lily said with a big smile on her face.

"No!" Misty shouted. "I refuse to do that again!"

"But it's only for a few months..." Lily muttered.

"Well, yeah, but when Dorian can work again, you probably want me to stay at the Gym like a prisoner again... Then you decide Dorian needs an assistant or something like that!" Misty snapped. Ash, Pikachu and Togetic lacked the guts to calm her down, while seeing her red head and fiery eyes. "And besides, Ash is going to participate in the Johto League, and I'm not gonna miss it!", Misty continued.

"But Misty, we need you! We have no other alternative!" Lily begged.

"You, Violet and Daisy did perfectly fine almost seven years ago, before you three ruined my early teenage years! You three can do it yourselves, but you're just too lazy and selfish!" Misty snapped.

"But Misty, really, there's a valid reason why we can't!" Lily complained.

"And what's that friggin' reason?" Misty asked loudly.

"We have a very busy schedule for the upcoming weeks. We have manicure this week, pedicure next week, we're gonna get our hair done the week after that," Lily explained. "And the first week of the Pokemon League, we're going on our annual holiday to Sunyshore City, were we're gonna drink lots of alcohol and party with many guys."

"Oh, so all that's more important than me supporting my boyfriend in his big moment?" Misty asked.

"Of course it is, nothing is more important than nails, my hair and partying," Lily said.

"Just so you know, I'll repeat myself: I'm not gonna fill in for Dorian! Go look for someone else, you stupid airhead!" Misty snapped. Then, she couldn't control her anger anymore, resulting in Togetic using Psychic to prevent Misty from wrecking the phone and causing a few hundreds of Poke Dollars of damage.

"But Misty, now what are we supposed to do?" Lily begged. "Thanks to you, the Gym will get closed while we're partying!"

"Or you three stop being lazy and do some work!" Misty snapped.

Lily slowly walked a few steps away from her video phone. "Daisy, Violet, we have to move our pedicure, there's a challenger who wants to battle that day," she shouted at her sisters.

"Oh, damn... Now we have to move our pedicure one day!" Violet moaned. "All thanks to that Arceus damn redhead slave being so stubborn! Why is Misty doing this to us? She always used to do what we told her to, and now she suddenly has her own life to take care of..."

"Misty, are you really sure you're not willing to consider it?" Lily begged.

"Yes, I am! Good luck running the Gym yourselves, you three can do just fine if you actually put some Arceus damn effort in it!" Misty shouted. "This is a confirmation!"

"Of what?" Violet asked, who came running to the video phone screen.

"Of you three being so f*cking lazy!" Misty snapped. "Bye!" she shouted, while wrecking the phone with her right fist, trying to hit Lily's nasty face on the screen.

Then, Nurse Joy ran at Misty. "That'll be 500 Poke Dollar," she said.

"It was worth releasing my anger on Lily," Misty responded, while handing over the money.

After Nurse Joy walked away, Ash and Misty were standing outside of the Pokemon Center. "Misty, now you had to pay for wrecking that phone, do you still have enough money for buying new underwear?" Ash asked.

"Nope. We can buy food just fine, but not too many expensive things," Misty explained.

"Yes!" Ash cheered. "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad you have an anger problem!"

"Ash, this is a serious issue!" Misty complained. "I really want to stop being so mad at my sisters, but what they're doing is so unacceptable... But I want a good sister-relationship instead of this anger and hate..."

"Well, then forgive them," Ash suggested.

"And let them treat me like their slave?" Misty said. "I don't think so."

"Women... Nothing you say is right to them... Forgiving is bad, not forgiving is bad..." he moaned.

"You just don't understand how hard this is!" she snapped.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" he asked.

"I don't know... I'm just confused..." she said. "They're so stupid!"

Later that day, on the way to Mt. Silver, our heroes were sitting in the warm grasslands. "The weather is so peaceful today," Ash said.

"Yeah, let's relax from all our stress here for some hours," Misty suggested.

"Toge Togetic!" Togetic agreed with Misty.

"Pika Pika," Pikachu said.

"That's settled," Ash said, while he lied on the grass.

However, some minutes later, a big, red limousine drove by and stopped. "Hi Ashyboy, long time no see!" a brown-haired guy said in a teasy way.

"Gary... Misty and I were having a peaceful afternoon, but then you come and ruin it!" Ash snapped.

"So you're not ready for a little battle?" the troll asked.

"Sure I am! Two versus two, right here, right now!" Ash snapped. When he felt challenged, his heart always started beating faster.

"Ash, stop it! I want to enjoy my peaceful time!" Misty snapped.

"No, Misty! I have to beat Gary now!" Ash shouted.

"I choose you, Scizor!" Gary shouted, while throwing a Poke Ball. A red, mantis-like Pokemon emerged from the red object. "Scizor!" he shouted.

"Bulbasaur, go!" Ash screamed, while hurling his Poke Ball. Meanwhile, Misty, Pikachu and Togetic were cheering while standing on the sidelines.

"Bulbasaur, let's start with your Vine Whip!" Ash commanded. He saw how the vines were wrapped around the opponent. After raising Scizor up and crashing it down on the ground, Bulbasaur threw the Pokemon away.

"Nice blow!" Misty said, seeing how Scizor already took major damage.

"You can't beat Scizor that easily," Gary said. "Use your Slash!" he shouted. The red Pokemon flew at Bulbasaur and slashed with his big claws, not giving his opponent a chance to evade. Bulbasaur was in a great deal of pain, but managed to stand up.

"Bulbasaur, use your Solarbeam!" Ash commanded. Because of the strong sunlight, the Grass type didn't have to charge up. However, just before the beam was shot, Scizor quickly shot Bulbasaur in the air with Swift! The yellow stars caused the Pokemon with the bulb to fly upwards.

"Bulbasaur, aim your Solarbeam at Scizor!" Ash shouted just in time. Bulbasaur, hurt by the Swift attack, shot the strong ray of energy at the unsuspecting Scizor.

"Oh no, Scizor!" Gary screamed.

"Bulbasaur, that was sweet!" Ash complimented, while petting his Pokemon on the head.

However, the Grass-type got a big surprise: Scizor stood up! "Sciiii ZOR!" the Bug-type shouted.

"What?" Ash screamed, not expecting the sudden surprise. "Bulba?" his Pokemon shouted.

"Scizor, let's finish this once and for all! Use your Double Team!" Gary said. The red Pokemon started to create illusions, making it look like he was duplicating himself.

"Bulbasaur, attack them one by one with your Razor Leaf!" Ash said. Sharp leaves were hurled at the ten Scizor one by one. And so, they disappeared after getting hit.

"Scizor, finish it with Slash!" Gary commanded, while two Scizor were left. After seeing Bulbasaur defeat the last illusionary Scizor, the real Scizor slashed Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur!" Ash screamed, looking at his defeated Pokemon.

"Scizor, that was amazing!" Gary complimented the Bug-type, while Ash returned his Pokemon to its Poke Ball.

Then, another of his Pokemon suddenly emerged from her Poke Ball. Suddenly, Ash fell down on the ground and noticed a yellow Pokemon was hugging him. "Bayleef, why did you come out of your Poke Ball?" the trainer asked.

"Bay Bay!" the Pokemon growled, while giving Scizor an angry look.

"So you want to battle?" Ash asked, despite the big type disadvantage Grass types have against Bug Pokemon.

"Bay!" the Grass-type screamed, while kissing Ash on his left cheek.

"Alright then!" Ash said, while standing up. And so, Bayleef stood in front of Ash, ready to defeat Scizor on the grassy grounds.

"Bayleef, run at Scizor and use your Headbutt!" the Grass Pokemon heard. And so, she ran at the big, red mantis-like creature, preparing to smash her head against it.

"Scizor, Silver Wind!" Gary shouted. A beautiful, shiny wind was shot at Bayleef, who got hurt by a very strong attack.

"Bayleef, you can do it! Try a Solarbeam!" Ash said. The sun was shining so bright that Bayleef didn't need to charge up the attack. Gary told Scizor to fly away, but the Pokemon wasn't able to avoid getting hurt by the extremely strong attack.

"Yes, that should do it!" Misty cheered, backed by the Pokemon. "Pi Pikachu!" "Togetic!"

"Sh*t!" Gary cursed. However, his Pokemon was able to surprise him. Scizor stood up!

"What?" Ash showed. While the Pokemon moved up, he thought about how difficult it would be to win. "This is unbelievable!" he thought.

"Scizor, Slash!" Gary said, causing the red Pokemon to quickly hurt Bayleef, who collapsed. However, with some trouble, the tired Grass Pokemon stood up.

"Scizor, finish it with your Metal Claw!" Gary commanded. The red Pokemon quickly flew at its opponent.

"Bayleef, Vine Whip!" Ash said happily. And so, Scizor got grabbed by the vines before he was able to hit Ash's Pokemon.

"Great!" Ash complimented. "And now, smack him down on the ground and use your Body Slam!" The Grass Pokemon hurled the Pokemon up and down. Then, she jumped on it with a crushing attack.

"Scizor, are you okay?" the worried Gary asked his Pokemon.

"Sci..." his Pokemon moaned.

"You were awesome, have some well-deserved rest," Gary said.

"Bayleef, you did it!" Ash shouted, while receiving a hug from the Pokemon that jumped on him. Then, the Grass-type gently put her lips on Ash's cheek, causing the trainer to smile. Meanwhile, Misty didn't seem to enjoy the Grass-type's behaviour.

Then, the two saw Gary already sent out his last Pokemon. A three-headed bird stood on the grass, ready to attack with its sharp beaks and big feet.

"Hey, Gary, I didn't know you have a Dodrio!" Ash said.

"Do you remember the time you were at Oak's lab before the Kanto League seven years ago? Back then, you saw my Doduo. And now, you're going to suffer a defeat from him," Gary explained.

"Sorry, but I'm afraid those three heads will suffer," Ash said.

"Dodrio, use your Peck!" Gary shouted. The big bird ran at Bayleef, attempting to stab her with its three beaks.

"Bayleef, use your Vine Whip!" Ash said, causing the long, green vines to be wrapped around two of Dodrio's heads. However, Ash didn't think off how to control the one on the left, the one that wasn't constricted. Then, Bayleef suffered a Drill Peck!

"Bayleef, can you go on?" Ash asked. However, when he saw the Pokemon that has a crush on him laying on the ground, he knew he lost the match. "Bayleef, you did a great job. Have some rest," he said, while putting Bayleef in the Poke Ball.

"Gary, Gary, he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can! Go, Gary!" the girls in the big, red limousine sang.

"Ash, you're a loser. Don't even bother going to Mt. Silver, you won't even win the pre-rounds!" Gary teased. Then, he walked up to his fancy car. "Let's go, girls. This loser isn't worth any more time," he said. And so, the big car drove away. Meanwhile, the troll's rival had a tear in his eye.

"Ash, are you... Are you crying?" Misty asked, while noticing how tears slowly moved from Ash's eyes to his cheeks.

"Pi Pi Pi..." Pikachu said.

"Waaahhhh..." the Pallet Town-native cried. "I never won a League, and now I can't even beat Gary!"

"Well, you lost now, but you can beat him, you've beaten him quite a few times this year!" Misty tried to cheer up her boyfriend. Togetic nodded.

"It's not true, you're just trying to comfort me!" Ash cried. "I'm just not good enough... If I can't win the Johto League this year, I'll quit being a Pokemon Trainer and I'll quit travelling!" he decided.

"And then? Pokemon is your passion, it's your life! You've always dreamed of becoming a Pokemon Master, you can't give up on your dream now!" Misty said.

"Then I'll just go live with my mommy and do nothing..." Ash answered.

"Well, your mom will be old and die someday, then what are you going to do to earn a living? You have no education!" Misty countered. "Winning Leagues can also bring in money, and if you become the Champion of a region, you'll have enough money to never work anymore in your entire life! And besides, it's your dream, this is what you want! This is what you like!"

"I don't know..." Ash moaned.

"Well, there's only one thing you can do! You were born to battle and you're going to battle! I won't allow you to quit, even if some amateur beats you in the first pre-round!" Misty snapped. "Next year, we're going to Hoenn, and you're going with me! No one can change that!"

"I suppose you're right... But I just don't know if I'm truly fit for my dreams... I participated in so many Leagues and didn't even win once..." Ash said.

"You won the Orange League and the Battle Frontier! You defeated Drake, he's much better than Gary or any random League opponent! If you can beat him, you can beat your League opponents!" Misty shouted in Ash's ear.

"This is definitely gonna be my last League in a while if I don't win this year," Ash said softly. "I will join you to Hoenn, but if I lose now, don't expect me to take part in the Hoenn League..."

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted, backed by Togetic. "Toge Togetic!"

"Oh well then, if you lose, I'm sure you won't give up. I know you, Ash Ketchum," Misty whispered in his ear.

"I just don't know..." Ash moaned softly.


	35. Chapter 35

Two days after losing to Gary in the grasslands of Johto, our heroes were passing through a dark, humid cave with lots of water.

"Misty, how long will it take before we finally get out of this stupid cave?" Ash asked. The look in his eyes showed how annoyed he was.

"I don't know, stop your nagging!" Misty snapped.

Then, Ash saw some light. "Hey, it seems like we're almost at the end!" he shouted.

"Finally!" the relieved Misty sighed.

However, when they wanted to exit the deep, dark cave called Tohjo Falls, two people and a cat who were waiting at the outside of the cave jumped in front of them.

"Prepare for trouble!" a red-haired lady shouted.

"And make it double!" a purple-haired man added to that.

"Oh no, not them again..." Ash thought, while the team continued their anthem.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!" the Pokemon added to the motto.

"Were you three responsible for stealing Trinity's money some time ago?" Misty asked.

"Yes, it was us. Unfortunately, that punk with his cheerleaders had to screw up our plans to get rich," James said. "Oh well, we at least escaped the police."

"Now back to business, give us that Pikachu!" Jessie commanded.

"Never!" Ash shouted.

Then, a group of four butterflies, including one pink one, suddenly flew to the spot just at the outside of the cave. The Bug-types scattered some spore over Team Rocket.

Ash suddenly pointed at one of the four butterflies, the one wearing a yellow scarf. "Misty, look, it's Butterfree!" Ash shouted. He remembered one of the most painful moments in his life. Almost seven years ago, he released his Butterfree, the first Pokemon he ever caught, to breed with a pink female Butterfree.

"I suppose they live here now. I've heard the forest just north of Tohjo Falls is populated by lots of Butterfree," Misty said. Meanwhile, she saw how the three criminals were paralyzed by the Stun Spore released by Butterfree, his wife and his two children. Then, Ash's Butterfree started to talk to Ash after hugging him.

"I wish I could understand what Butterfree was saying... I can get the gist of it, but I want to know every detail for sure..." Ash moaned. Then, he got an idea. "Meowth, if you'll translate what Butterfree is saying, I won't report you three to the police! If you refuse, you three can rot in jail!"

"Alright then, you sure play it hard, you twerp!" Meowth said.

And so, Butterfree started talking to Meowth, who was able to speak clearly despite being stunned by the yellow powder. The cat directly translated everything and told the 'twerps' what the Butterfree language meant. "After leaving you to breed with my wife, we flew to Johto, where we ended up living in the forest just up north. There, she and I had two beautiful children, a female and a male Caterpie. Now, they're Butterfree, just like my wife and me. When we saw Team Rocket, we immediately followed them, we knew they were up to no good. So we followed them and were happy to see you and Misty here!"

"Aww, your wife and kids are lovely," Misty said. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Butterfree, that is awesome! Misty and I are a couple now too, and we're on our way to the Johto League," Ash explained. "I'm so happy to see you again, I've always wondered how you were doing."

"Johto League? Is that like the Pokemon League in Kanto, that tournament you wanted to collect Badges for when I was still with you?" Meowth asked, directly translating Butterfree?

"Yes, it is. Would you like to join me? Then you can participate in the tournament, and then go back to your family after that! It starts next week, it will last some weeks until the final is finished," Ash offered.

"Absolutely, if it's okay with my wife and kids! I've always wondered how such a tournament would be!" Butterfree said, translated for Ash by Meowth. After some seconds of Butterfree-talk later, Butterfree said his family was okay with it, despite missing him. They were happy he got the chance to experience such a tournament.

"Awesome! I have one team spot left, you're lucky," Ash said. And so, Butterfree hugged his wife and kids, telling them he'd fly back to them after the tournament ended. Then, Ash put his former Pokemon in an empty Poke Ball.

"Can we go now?" Meowth asked.

"Yeah," Misty said.

"Um... We can't really walk now, we're still affected by Stun Spore..." the criminal cat complained.

"Then you can just rot here until the effect wears off," Misty teased.

"How long will that take?" Jessie asked.

"I don't know... When my Hoppip uses Stun Spore, the effect wears off after, I suppose, two hours," the Whirl Cup champion answered.

"You can't just leave us here like this! Come back and make one of those Water Pokemon use a Water attack to make the powder wear off!" James screamed.

"If we do that, you three will try to capture Pikachu again. Screw you three, I hope some dangerous wild Pokemon will come to eat you!" Ash said, despite knowing the wild Pokemon in Tohjo Falls weren't dangerous or aggressive.

And so, our heroes walked out of the cave and entered a lush, green, grassy area. While Butterfree's family flew to their home tree in the forest, Ash and Misty looked on the map.

"Where will we go now? There's a way to the west and a way to the east..." Misty asked.

"Well, both lead to a place deep in this forest, this map isn't very clear, it's not clear what way leads to Mt. Silver..." Ash said. "Maybe Togetic could fly upwards to see the forest from above, so she can decide where to go?"

"No, the forest is too difficult to see from above, the trees are really thick! We need to guess and hope we're going the right way..." Misty said.

"Then do you have any idea what road we should take?" he asked.

"Not really..." she said. "Maybe you could ask Butterfree."

"Hey, yeah," he said. Then, he took a Poke Ball from his belt, making his old and new Pokemon emerge from it. "Butterfree, we don't know whether we should go east or west if we want to pass through this forest and then go onwards to Mt. Silver... You live here, could you please lead us through this forest? Then you can fly in front of us, and we can follow you."

"Free!" the butterfly shouted while nodding. The yellow-scarfed Pokemon flew to the eastern entrance of the forest, followed by Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Togetic.

In the deep, thick forest, our heroes saw lots of wild Butterfree, mostly couples. Much to Misty's fear, she saw a Caterpie breaking out of an egg, while two parents were sitting in a tree looking at the miracle of life. "I hate this place! Look, a Caterpie!"

"Misty, relax, it's just a baby! And he's in that tree, he won't bother you," Ash said.

"It still scares me..." Misty moaned, while pointing at two Metapod in a tree.

"Really, it's not a big deal, they're just in trees," Ash said.

A few seconds later, the fear truly struck Misty. "HELP! A CATERPIE ON MY JEANS!" she screamed, while seeing the wild, green worm crawling on her leg. She quickly shaked her leg to get it off her, running forward, forcing Ash, Pikachu, Togetic and Butterfree to follow her at high speed.

Some hours later, our heroes were in a deeper part of the forest. Here, there were no wild bugs, only some other Pokemon. Because of that, Misty felt much more comfortable walking here. Then, Ash suddenly saw a gray, armour-like Pokemon hugging his leg. "Pupi! Pupitar!" the Pokemon squealed with a low, deep voice. The group stopped walking and flying, so they could look at the Pokemon that got Ash's attention.

"Hey, I think this Pupitar is the Larvitar that joined our group years ago!" Ash said.

"That's so cool!" Misty said. The Pokemon matured a lot, and wasn't like the scared baby from six years ago anymore. Now, this Pokemon was strong, tough and felt comfortable around a strange Butterfree and when being pet by Misty.

"It's an awesome day for me! I got reunited with Butterfree early this morning, and now, at the end of the afternoon, I see you again!" Ash said.

"Pupi!" the nodding Rock-type agreed.

However, then, a big net was hurled from the sky. "We got him!" Ash heard someone saying up from above.

"Oh no, it's Team Rocket's balloon, and they've got Pupitar!" Misty panicked, while the balloon quickly flew away.

"They must've been faster than us in this balloon," Ash said. Then, Butterfree quickly flew at the Meowth-shaped object in the air. "Butterfree, cut the balloon with your Air Cutter!" he commanded. A gust of harsh, cutting wind was created by the butterfly's wings, popping the balloon, causing it to crash down. However, what Ash didn't expect, was how the wind caused the balloon to go up, down, right and left before finally crashing down somewhere in the forest.

"Hurry, let's go there to see how Pupitar is doing!" Ash shouted, while following Butterfree, who saw the balloon crashing down east of the place Ash and Misty were standing.

And so, after walking past the big trees and wild Flying- and Ground-type Pokemon in the forest, the group saw the wrecked balloon.

"But... Where's Pupitar? And where's Team Rocket?" Misty asked.

"Hey, look! Footprints of those crooks!" Ash said. And so, the group followed the hints in the soil.

Meanwhile, in a small, wooden forest hut, two evil people and their Meowth were talking. "James, you should've aimed better! We wanted Pikachu, not Pupitar!" Jessie snapped.

"Yeah, some lame rock isn't going to satisfy the Boss!" Meowth complained. "There goes my dream of being his top cat..."

"Don't you see this is even better?" James tried to justify his mistake. "Pupitar is pretty rare, and can evolve into Tyranitar!" he explained, pointing at the small, black cage in which Pupitar was held hostage.

"Pupi..." the Pokemon shouted, while tackling the bars.

"You can stop tackling, this cage resists lots of attacks used often by the twerps. Electric attacks, but also Tackle and other attacks based on physical force and nothing else," James explained.

"Is there anything the bars of this cage doesn't resist?" Jessie asked.

"The power of an Azumarill smashing at full power when its Huge Power kicks in, but that girl twerp doesn't know that," Meowth said.

"Oh well, they won't find us here, the door is locked and the windows are closed," James said.

"Yeah. And besides, the curtains are closed, so they can't see us here either," Jessie said.

However, then, the evil trio heard something smashing on the door. They heard a female voice as well. "Azumarill, Tackle!" Then, the door broke, and Ash, Misty, Butterfree, Pikachu, Togetic Azumarill and Bayleef stood in the doorway.

"Bayleef, use your Vine Whip to grab that cage!" Ash said. And so, the Grass Pokemon took the cage outside of the forest hut.

"Now we've got to figure out how to break this thing," Ash said.

"Azumarill, try a Tackle!" Misty said. The aqua rabbit charged into the strong bars, but didn't manage to break them.

"Maybe an electric attack?" Ash thought. "Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" However, the shocks that emerged from the electric mouse's cheeks weren't enough to wreck the bars.

"Maybe fire?" Misty thought. Togetic tried a Fire Blast, but even that didn't break the bars.

"Azumarill, maybe a perfect Double-Edge at full power?" Misty asked.

"NO!" James screamed. Then, he threw a Poke Ball. "Roselia, go, use your Sleep Powder on that blue rat!" And just in time to prevent the bars from breaking, Azumarill was struck and fell asleep.

"Why did you do that?" Ash asked. "Is Azumarill somehow able to break this cage?"

"She's asleep now, so she won't be breaking anything for now," Jessie said.

However, then, something unexpected happened. The Rock-type in the cage was shrouded in white light.

"Look, Pupitar is evolving!" Meowth said, while watching how the Pokemon grew, breaking the cage.

"Tyranitar!" the giant Dark-type screamed.

"We own a Tyranitar now!" Jessie said.

"Tyranitar, use your Iron Tail on those twerps!" James commanded. However, the big dinosaur turned around and looked at the three criminals.

"He's not looking very friendly..." Jessie muttered. Then, the Pokemon indeed used Iron Tail, but instead of hitting the good guys, the bad guys were slammed in the sky.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" Jessie, James and Meowth screamed.

"Tyranitar, that was awesome!" Misty said.

"Yeah, you've really grown a lot since we last saw you!" Ash complimented.

"Well, it's time for us to go now," Misty said. "Bye, Tyranitar."

"Bye, it was great to see you," Ash said.

"Tar!" the big Rock-type screamed, while shaking Togetic's hand. "Togetic!"

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu screamed.

And so, Ash and Misty walked onwards to Mt. Silver, still lead by Butterfree.

"Maybe I should've asked him to join me..." Ash moaned. "He's so strong now..."

"Well, yeah, but we saw his mom years ago, she's probably old now and might need her son helping her with things. And besides, you have plenty of strong Pokemon, and you could always call Liza to get Charizard. And Butterfree joining you for a while is already a big surprise," Misty said.

"Yeah, you're right," Ash admitted. "I'm definitely going to call Liza once we arrive at Mt. Silver. By the way, when will we be there?"

"I suppose it's going to take five days, while the first battle is in seven days," Misty answered.

"That's your birthday," Ash said. "Are you looking forward to it?"

"Yes, especially because of the gift you bought me and because of your battle," Misty said.

A while later, our heroes finally escaped the forest. The area here was pretty similar to the one between Blackthorn City and New Bark Town, a rocky, mountainous, dry road. "It's so hot here..." Ash complained. "Summer started, the effect is easy to feel here..."

"Yeah, the trees in the forest worked like an umbrella, but now we're in the sunlight..." Misty said, while Ash wiped his forehead and took off his long-sleeved shirt, only to replace it with a short-sleeved one.

"Ash, I'm going to put on some less warm clothes now, I'll be behind that rock. I don't think it's polite to undress in front of the Pokemon," Misty said, while walking to a big rock.

"Pikachu, this is gonna be sexy! She bought sexy, black summer clothes in Blackthorn City," Ash said.

"Free Free!" Ash's old pal said to Pikachu, saying his wife is way hotter than Misty.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu countered, stating Togetic is clearly sexier than the pink Butterfree.

"Free Free!" the Bug-type snapped, causing Pikachu to get a furious look in his eyes.

"You guys, stop fighting!" Ash screamed. Togetic tried to grab Pikachu and take him a few steps away from Butterfree, but failed.

Then, Misty walked away from the rock, wearing her new attire. The long jeans were replaced by a short, black skirt, while the white, long-sleeved shirt was put in her bag, in favour of a sleeveless black top that exposed her bellybutton. While Ash immediately gushed over his girlfriend, Misty wasn't able to stop Butterfree and Pikachu from arguing.

"Why are they snapping like that?" Misty asked. However, Ash didn't hear her, he was staring at the way her summer attire complemented her body and showed once again why Ash saw her as the sexiest girl on the planet.

"Ash? Ash?" Misty tried. Then, he finally listened. "Um... What?"

"Why are Butterfree and Pikachu fighting?" she asked.

"Well, Pikachu thinks Togetic is hotter than pink Butterfree, while Butterfree thinks the opposite," Ash said. "Togetic tried to stop them, but failed."

"Okay then, I think I know what to do," Misty said. "Use your Bayleef, she knows Sweet Scent."

"Makes sense," Ash said. "Bayleef, I choose you!" he said, while hurling a Poke Ball, only to be hugged by the Grass Pokemon coming out of the ball.

"Bayleef, you're awesome, but you need to do something else than hugging now," Ash laughed. "Do you see Pikachu and Butterfree over there? Use your Sweet Scent, so they stop fighting."

"Bay!" the Pokemon shouted, while getting off Ash's body and spreading an aroma that causes fighting Pokemon to get friendly.

"Free!" the calmed butterfly said to Pikachu, meaning "Sorry for fighting, no hard feelings?"

"Pika Pi," Pikachu agreed, shaking Butterfree's hand.

"It's working," Ash said to Misty. "Thanks for this idea! And besides, that outfit is so hot! That belly! Those legs!"

"Thanks," Misty said, while Ash returned Bayleef and Butterfree to their Poke Balls. "I'm glad you like it, and I'm glad this feels much cooler than my other outfit, this fits the warm weather nicely."

"Now, we'll just continue to Mt. Silver. Are there any natural hindrances, like caves, deserts, snowy areas or water?" Ash asked.

"Let's check the map," Misty said, while taking the map of Johto from her bag.

"I don't see any hindrances," Ash said. "We can just walk north and then we'll get there."

"Great!" Misty responded. "But there's one hindrance, the heat..."

"There are no trees that can prevent us from having to walk in the full sunlight..." Ash complained. "But we need to walk like normally, I don't want to be late for my battle!"

And so, our heroes walked onwards to Mt. Silver, onwards to the Johto League.


	36. Chapter 36

One week after meeting Butterfree again, our heroes finally reached Mt. Silver. Every single participant in the Johto League got to stay in a hotel room for free for as long as the tournament lasts for them. There, they had a two-person bed for all candidates and their partners, if they had one, some beds for guests in a separate room, a video phone, a television, a toilet and any other basic needs. The Pokemon League Agency wanted to make sure every candidate could prepare himself or herself as well as possible, while also relaxing enough to clear the mind.

And so, this morning, Ash woke up early. He knew this was a very special day. This was about more than just this first League battle late in the afternoon, and more than finally finding out who his first opponent would be, which would be revealed at the end of this morning. While Pikachu, Togetic and Misty were still asleep, he made breakfast for himself and his girlfriend, while putting Pokemon food on the table for Pikachu and Togetic, while adding ketchup to it for Pikachu. He wasn't able to put together a big party for Misty like on his own birthday, simply because he lacked the money and wasn't able to invite enough people. Yeah, he could've invited the Sensational Sisters, but after Misty's recent arguments with them, he didn't think that would've been a very good idea. Meanwhile, he didn't think May, Drew, Max, Dawn, Zoey, Iris or Cilan would want to come all the way to Johto for someone they met only once, twice or three times, while Bonnie, Clemont or Serena never even met Misty. Meanwhile, Tracey was too busy filling in for Professor Oak at the laboratory, who had to go on a trip to Johto together with Delia, Ash's mother, not telling Ash what they were going to do. However, in a phonecall some days ago, Brock and Lucy promised to visit Ash for his Johto League entry and Misty's birthday. They would be there today, but didn't tell Ash when exactly they would be there. He didn't tell Misty about this, in order to keep this a surprise.

And so, at half past eight in the morning, Ash went to the bedroom and shouted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MISTY!" Then, his girlfriend woke up.

"Um... Thanks..." the sleepy girl replied. "I'll be in the living room in thirty minutes." Then, she quickly took off her pyjamas, took a shower, brushed her teeth and put on the black summer clothes Ash seemed to like a lot. Then, she came in the room like promised, where Ash, Pikachu and Togetic were waiting for her. After quickly eating their sandwiches, it was finally time for some presents.

"Misty, do you remember how I bought something for you in Blackthorn City's shopping mall? Well, I've got two tickets for a train trip to Humilau City in Unova! I know you like Water Pokemon and travelling, and I know you've never been there yet, so I thought you'd like going to a sunny beach city with Water Pokemon where you've never been before!" Ash said happily, while handing over the two tickets.

"Ash, that's amazing! Thank you so much, we'll have a great time there!" Misty responded. "I've got to admit I was afraid you'd have some unromantic present, but this is perfect!" Meanwhile, Pikachu and Togetic fantasized about romantic beach days together.

"There's more," Ash said. "This morning, before you woke up, the mailman of the League hotel brought me this, it's for you."

"A letter? I wonder who sent it to me," Misty said. Then, she quickly opened it and read it aloud for Ash.

"Dear Misty,

I know you must be at the Johto League hotel at Mt. Silver now, because the Johto League is starting at the day this letter should arrive at Mt. Silver's League hotel.

It was nice to be your rival for a year. Right now, Rudy and I are heading for Sinnoh. I've heard you're going to Hoenn with Ash after the Johto League, so we won't see each other anymore for a very long while. I want you to know that I really cherished our friendship and rivalry, and I hope you and Ash will keep having a great relationship. Rudy and I are getting along very well, he's such a romantic guy. He bought me roses yesterday, and he's a great kisser. But even though Ash isn't that romantic, I know he's still a nice guy and I'm sure he's the right one for you. Anyways, even though I'm sad to end our rivalry for the time being, I won't say goodbye forever. I hope to see you again someday. Then, we'll battle for sure!

Sincerely,  
Marina (and Rudy)

P.S. Happy birthday!"

"Will you miss her a lot?" Ash asked.

"We didn't see each other that often, but it was still nice to see her every now and then. She's a kind person and a nice opponent in battles as well," Misty said. "By the way, Ash, do you think Sinnoh could be an interesting region for us to travel once we've been to Hoenn?" she asked.

"I'm not sure... There's not much related to Water Pokemon there, Hoenn is a more watery region, the entire east of Hoenn consists of water and islands," Ash answered. "But I suppose there must be a tournament like the Whirl Cup there, so it could still be interesting. And besides, you've never been there, seeing new parts of our planet is always interesting for you, I suppose."

"Yeah, I suppose," Misty said. "I'm just really looking forward to our holiday to Humilau and our journey through Johto. But first, this League. Have you already seen who you'll battle now?"

"Not yet," Ash said. "I'll go look at the Pokemon Center now, the fixtures should be revealed there now." However, when he opened the door, two people he knew stood in front of him. A slightly tanned man with black hair and squinted eyes greeted him, and so did a black-haired woman Ash once battled.

"Hi Brock and Lucy," Ash said. "Thank you so much for coming!"

Then, Brock walked up to Misty. "Happy seventeenth birthday!" After that, Lucy congratulated the birthday girl as well.

"Thanks," Misty said. "Why did you two come here?"

"Ash called us, he thought it would be nice if we'd visit you on your birthday," Lucy explained.

"And besides, we want to see Ash's battles in the Johto League, we're staying here for the upcoming weeks," Brock added to that.

"Brock, do you and Lucy also have a present for Misty?" Ash asked.

"Ash, that's a very impolite thing to ask!" Misty snapped.

"It's fine, it's understandable. Anyways, yes, we have a gift for her," Lucy said, while handing Misty a small book.

"Oh, awesome! It's the Water Pokemon Guide, Hoenn edition! Thank you!" Misty said, while looking at the gift.

"What's it about?" Ash asked.

"In that magazine, you can read what Water Pokemon can be caught in what locations, you can look up the natural habitats in Hoenn of the Water Pokemon in the region," Brock explained.

"We bought this because we knew you're going to Hoenn with Ash soon," Lucy said.

"That sounds like a really useful gift," Ash said.

"Also, Ash, did you already look to see who you will battle today?" Brock asked.

"Not really, you two arrived just when I was about to look," Ash answered.

"Well, I checked it out for you. At four o'clock, you're going to battle Casey for the first pre-round in stadium A," Brock said. This location had four stadiums: A, B, C and D. In the past, small battlefields were used for early pre-rounds, but now, the Pokemon League Agency passed a rule that forced League organisations to host every single official battle that's part of the tournament in a big stadium, in order to make room for a bigger audience.

"Thanks for looking," Ash replied. "Now let's see, what Pokemon do you think she'll use?" he asked.

"I suppose she'll use Electabuzz. That's her favourite Pokemon," Brock said.

"What Pokemon shall I use?" Ash asked.

"How about Bayleef?" Lucy suggested. "She can take any Electric attack with ease, and she's one of your strongest Pokemon."

"That sounds like a good idea to me," Misty said. "Anyways, Brock and Lucy, we haven't seen you in a while, how are you and Lucy doing?" she asked.

"We're doing great," Brock said. "I help Lucy with giving her Pokemon the right food and lots of other things I've learned as a Pokemon Breeder, while also being able to cure her Pokemon when they're ill. In my new job as Lucy's personal assistant, I can use both my Doctor and Breeder skills."

"Isn't it weird to have your boyfriend as your personal assistant?" Misty asked.

"Not really, she isn't like a boss to me, and it means she can safely trust me with anything," Brock assured.

"Yeah, we're running the Battle Pike together. Sure, I'm doing the battles, but Brock is doing just as much work as I am, if not more. We own the Pike together and both have equal authority over things at our Frontier Facility," Lucy said.

"Brock, did you also see if any other people we know besides Casey participate in the League?" Misty asked.

"Yes, I did," Brock answered. "I didn't look over the entire fixtures, I just wanted to see who your opponent would be, but I saw Gary, Harrison and Paul being in the tournament as well. Oh yeah, and also Melody!"

"Melody? Oh no, this is bad..." Misty said.

"Why?" Lucy asked. "Is she that hard to beat for Ash?"

"I hate that b*tch!" Misty screamed. "She constantly flirts with Ash, she just can't stop!"

"Yeah, then I can understand why you don't like her," Lucy said. "But is there really a reason for you to truly hate her?"

"Um... Something painful that happened some months ago increased my hatred towards her," Misty said, trying to get out of the questions. She didn't want to talk about her anger problem again, and didn't want to tell Brock and Lucy about how Ash was close to doing something intimate with Melody, which is the main reason for her hatred.

"What is it?" Brock asked.

"That's none of your business," Ash snapped, referring to the way Ash and Misty temporary broke up between Mahogany Town and Ice Path, and how Melody almost shared the bed with Ash. He knew Misty didn't want to talk about this experience to others than Ash.

"Um... Okay then, it's obvious to us that something embarrassing happened..." Brock said.

"Why can't you just stop talking about it?" Misty asked.

"Because I'm curious!" Brock shouted.

"Oh well, Ash, shall we tell him?" Misty asked.

"Alright then," Ash agreed. "Otherwise Brock won't stop..."

"Well, it all started just before Ash and I were in Mahogany Town," Misty started explaining. "Just when Ash tried to catch a stupid wild Venomoth, Robert, the lure maker on the Whirl Islands suddenly appeared and tried to kiss me. I didn't want it and was barely able to shove him away, but Ash thought I was cheating on him. He didn't believe me, while I should've tried harder to convince him and explain things. We both were furious at each other and broke up. Melody, who caught the Venomoth Ash wanted, saw everything, and she got together with Ash..."

"Wow, that's painful," Lucy said. "Is that why you hate Melody so much?"

"Well, it's just that she won't stop, and also something painful Ash will tell you about now," Misty answered.

"Hey, why me?" Ash asked.

"Because you actually experienced this," Misty snapped.

"Alright, alright, calm down..." Ash moaned. "Anyways, Melody and I were getting along well, and I developed a little crush on her. After beating Pryce, she and I were going to sleep just in front of Ice Path. Then, Melody wanted to get intimate with me. However, then, I remembered how awesome things were when I was with Misty, and knew I needed to get her back. So I ran inside Ice Path to hide from Melody. Then, Pikachu and I fell asleep, and I don't remember what happened after that. Maybe Misty could explain that."

"Wow, that's heavy," Brock said to Misty. "I think I get why you hate Melody now..."

"Yes, that's it," Misty admitted. "Anyways, meanwhile, I was looking for Ash all the time, and then saw Melody, who told me Ash ran towards Ice Path the last time she saw him. And so, I went in there too, and saw Ash, who was stupid enough to go to sleep in the coldest spot of Johto. He was frozen, so Togetic and Gyarados tried to defreeze him with their Flamethrower. However, that wasn't enough to wake Ash up, I was afraid he froze to death. However, then, Azumarill used Hydro Pump on Ash's face, waking him up. And so, we got back together."

"I can understand why you wouldn't tell this story to anyone," Lucy said. "I won't tell anyone about this."

"Sorry for pushing you so hard," Brock said softly.

"No hard feelings," Ash replied.

"Yeah, you're our best friend, I know we can trust you with this," Misty said.

"Thanks," Brock responded.

Some hours later, Brock, Lucy and Misty were sitting on the coaching bench just behind the place where Ash stood, joined by the cheerleading Pikachu, Togetic, Hoppip and Azumarill. "Go, Ash!" Misty shouted.

"Thanks," Ash said. He just shook hands with Casey, his opponent. The battle, conducted on a Grass field, was about to begin.

"Trainers, ready? Choose your Pokemon!" the referee shouted. This was a one-on-one battle, which meant Ash could only choose one Pokemon, which he had to register half an hour before the battle.

"Bayleef, I choose you!" Ash said, while hurling a Poke Ball. Meanwhile, he saw how Casey sent out her Electabuzz, just like expected. Then, from the other side of the field, he was somewhat able to hear her singing the Electabuzz Song.

"This is gonna be a cakewalk," Ash thought.

"Trainers, begin!" the referee shouted.

"Electabuzz, let's start with a Thunderbolt!" Casey commanded, causing her Pokemon to attempt to zap his opponent. However, her typing prevented the attack from having any effect.

"Bayleef, use your Sweet Scent!" Ash said. And so, the Grass Pokemon started to spread a mild aroma from the big leaf on her head, causing Electabuzz to be distracted and mellowed out.

"Electabuzz, come on, put yourself together!" Casey shouted. However, Electabuzz didn't hear his trainer, only paying attention to the sweet fragrance.

"Bayleef, use your Headbutt!" Ash said. The Pokemon with the leaf ran at the baseball mascot of Casey's favourite team, smashing him against the wall with her head. The Electric-type was hurt, but was able to stand up and go on.

"Electabuzz, use your Thunderpunch!" Casey shouted. "If zapping Bayleef won't work, at least the punch can damage her," she thought. And so, Electabuzz ran at Bayleef.

"Bayleef, use your Vine Whip on his arms!" Ash said. The Grass-type stopped the Electric-type in its attempts to punch. Then, following her trainer's commands, she smashed Electabuzz up and down a few times. Then, the opponent stood up.

"Now, finish it with Razor Leaf!" Ash shouted, causing Bayleef to hurl sharp leaves at Electabuzz, who was too weak to properly avoid the attack, causing him to collapse.

"Electabuzz is defeated, Bayleef is the winner!" the referee announced. "Ash is the winner of the first pre-round, he'll advance to the next round, which takes place tomorrow."

"I did it!" Ash thought, while running at Bayleef for a hug.

"Wow, that was easy," Misty said to Brock and Lucy.

"Maybe a bit too easy," the Pike Queen moaned.

"How come?" Brock asked.

"If he wins too easily, he might get cocky and think the next opponent will be as easy as Casey today, while he just got lucky he had a type advantage. And because it was a one-on-one match, Casey had no other Pokemon to deal with Bayleef," Lucy explained.

"It wouldn't be the first time Ash would do that," Misty said, referring to a moment on the Orange Islands almost seven years ago. Back then, he was on a winning streak and felt invincible. However, then, he suffered a horrible loss against Prima. "And if the battles aren't official, it's not a big deal. But during a tournament like the Johto League, it could ruin his challenge and cause him to lose..."

"Yeah, but how do we make him realize this victory wasn't anything remarkable?" Brock asked.

Later that day, in the evening, Ash and Misty were in their two-person bed, while Brock and Lucy had their own in the guest room. Pikachu and Togetic were already asleep.

"Misty, did you have a nice birthday?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Misty replied. "Your gift, Brock and Lucy being there, you winning your first match... that's all nice, as long as you don't get too cocky about your win now..."

"No, I promise I won't," Ash said quickly, to get rid of the topic related to his behaviour after the battle.

"Good night, Ash," Misty said.

"Not yet," Misty said. One hour later, in which Ash gave Misty an unexpected last birthday gift and some hugs, the couple fell asleep.


	37. Chapter 37

A few days after Ash's win against Casey, our heroes were sitting in the hotel room with Lucy and Brock. During the past few days, Ash progressed through the other two pre-rounds with ease, thanks to his Snorlax and Pikachu. Today, he was about to battle Paul in the second stage of the tournament. Here, trainers were paired in groups of three, from which only one trainer would progress. A win would net a competitor three points, a draw means one point for both, while a loss leaves the loser with zero points. Stan, the young Ledyba trainer Ash met in Ilex Forest was in the group as well, but he suffered a defeat against both Paul and Ash. Today, the two winners would decide who progresses to the knockout stage of the tournament.

"You sure have a big battle coming up soon," Lucy said. "Do you already know what Pokemon you want to use?"

"Well, thanks to the book Dawn and Zoey gave me for my birthday some months ago, I knew it would be good to look up what Pokemon the opponent would use. I think he's going with Gliscor, Torterra and Hariyama, he also used those three in his battle against Stan," Ash answered. "So, I decided to face him with Totodile, Quilava and Butterfree, to take advantage of type advantages."

"Ash, don't you think Paul would use some other Pokemon now? Stan was obviously weaker than you, so he might've thought he could win using some of his weaker Pokemon. I think he's going to use his strongest Pokemon against you. If I recall it right, that would be Torterra, Honchkrow and Electivire," Brock countered.

"Well, I already registered Totodile, Quilava and Butterfree now, there's nothing I can do now," Ash said. "And hey, I'm sure Paul wouldn't underestimate Stan."

"I'm pretty sure Paul also didn't overestimate him," Lucy teased.

Then, Misty heard a loud, bleeping sound. "Hey, the phone is ringing," Misty said, while walking up towards the video phone and taking the call.

"Hi Misty, happy late birthday!" a blonde girl said.

"Um... Thanks, Daisy..." Misty said. "But why didn't you do this on my birthday?"

"Violet, Lily and I have been drinking," Daisy explained. "When we came home from the night club in Vermilion City, we wanted to call you before going to bed, but we forgot. I just remembered, so I called you."

"That's not surprising at all," Misty said.

"So what are you up to?" Daisy asked.

"Ash is going to battle Paul in a while, we're about to go to the stadium," Misty answered.

"So he survived the pre-rounds? That's great to hear!" Daisy said.

"Daisy, there's something I thought about for some time now. I want to tell you I forgive you. Yes, you're an airhead, but that's just who you are. You seem truly remorseful for what happened to me, and you do seem to care about me more than Lily and Violet," Misty said. A tear flew down her right eye.

"Misty... I don't know what to say..." Daisy said. "This feels like a huge relief to me!"

"That's nice," Misty replied. "I thought I forgave you three after the Whirl Cup, but then I got those phone calls from you that bothered the hell out of me. And maybe I thought I forgave you because you were pushing it so hard back then, but I still wasn't ready for it. Now, I feel like I can truly forgive you."

"And how about Lily and Violet?" Daisy asked, while the two sisters stood behind her, about to do a fashion shoot with lots of girly dresses, mostly pink. Meanwhile, Brock stood in front of the phone, gushing over Daisy and her fashionable pink dress like a total perv. However, Lucy dragged him away from the screen in the same way Misty, Max and Croagunk used to do that. "Croagunk is left at the Battle Pike, but you're not going to get away with gushing this easily!" Lucy teased.

"No!" Misty snapped. "They don't regret anything, they didn't learn a thing!"

"But Misty, those things happened in the past. Forgive and forget," Lily shouted, in an attempt to force Misty to get over it.

"That's easy to say if you've never been trapped for years! You never lost the love of your life for six years! You wouldn't even find that love, because all you do is party in night clubs with random guys! You never had to give up on your dreams in order to fulfil someone else's dirty work! You can do those stupid shows of yours at the Gym! You never had to release the Pokemon you had a special bond with like I had to do with Togetic seven years ago!" Misty snapped. "You never even released one of your Pokemon!"

"So? You are with Ash again, Dorian is the Gym Leader and we're taking over now he has a burn-out, and Togetic returned two years ago. Everything is fine again," Violet said.

"It's not, all that gave me a huge trauma!" Misty screamed. "You should learn from Daisy, she actually realized what you three did to me and is honestly remorseful!"

"Yeah, but I'm not Daisy. Really, the only reason Daisy suddenly became boring and less like Lily and me is because she was influenced by Tracey's boringness!" Violet countered.

"Could be, but at least Daisy is capable of caring about others than herself!" Misty snapped. Then, she threw the phone horn on the ground, getting lucky it didn't get damaged. Meanwhile, Pikachu, Togetic, Lucy, Ash and Brock just stood there, not knowing what to say or do.

"Ehh... Sorry, but those two are such airheads, they're so stupid! Do they have any idea what they've been doing to me?" Misty apologized.

"It's fine. Sure, they're hot," Brock said, much to Lucy's dismay, "but they're too unempathic and selfish to realize the impact of their behaviour on others."

"The thought of them being my sisters in law doesn't appeal to me," Ash sighed. "Oh well, being together with Misty is worth it. And hey, Tracey becoming my brother in law seems pretty cool."

"It's so sad, I was hoping to talk to Daisy without drama, and then this happens... I'm not going to let it spoil my day, I'm just going to focus on Ash battling Paul," Misty decided.

"Good for you," Lucy said. "Just try to ignore them until you feel ready to forgive them."

"If you ever will," Togetic said in Pokemon-language.

"They also didn't have ketchup for me when we last visited them," Pikachu mentioned to Togetic, causing the Flying-type to nod.

Then, someone knocked on the hotel room door, which got opened by Ash. "Mom? And Professor Oak? What are you two doing here? I thought you two had to go on some trip through Johto."

"That trip to Johto was visiting you and being there for you during the League, we just wanted to surprise you," Professor Oak explained.

Then, Delia smelled something nasty. "Ash, are you wearing dirty underpants?"

"He never changes his underwear," Misty said. "I'm so used to the smell, I don't care about it anymore."

"How long have you been wearing your current boxers?" Delia asked.

"Only two months..." Ash moaned. "Anyways, let's go to the stadium!"

"Not before you put on some clean underwear!" Delia snapped.

"But mom, do I really have to?" Ash asked.

"No but, young man! Don't you dare to leave this room until you put on some clean underwear!" Delia shouted. And so, Ash finally changed his boxers for the first time in months.

Half an hour later, the group marched to the stadium together, all being ready for Ash's big match, sitting on the coaching couch just behind the spot Ash was standing. While Misty made her Azumarill, Hoppip, Dewgong and Togetic cheer for Ash, Brock decided to send out his Ludicolo for some extra support.

"This match is a three on three match between Ash and Paul. The winner will get three points and progress to the knockout stage of the Johto League," the referee explained. Then, he pushed a button on a remote control, in order to decide who had to choose his Pokemon first. Unfortunately, Ash was the unlucky one, allowing Paul to get an early type advantage.

"Totodile, I choose you!" Ash said, while sending out the dancing crocodile. Meanwhile, Paul chose his Torterra, just like Brock expected. Then, the referee told the competitors to begin. "I've got to take advantage of its low Speed, that Pokemon can barely avoid anything!" Ash thought.

"I told you I was right," Brock teased.

"Brock, shut up!" Ash shouted. Then, he focused his attention to Totodile. "Start with your Water Gun!" Ash said. The crocodile spit a ray of water at the Grass-type, who was too slow to avoid getting hit. Because the opponent was part-Ground-type, the attack actually did significant damage.

"Torterra, use your Razor Leaf!" Paul commanded, causing the Pokemon with the pointy shield to hurl two sharp leaves at the crocodile, who started a dance in order to avoid the attack.

"That's great, Totodile! Now use your Blizzard!" the Water-type heard his trainer shout. A snowstorm started to cover Torterra, even to the point of freezing him.

"That was that," Ash thought. However, the opponent was able to surprise him. "Torterra, break the ice with your Leaf Storm and then hit Totodile!" And so, the twirling leaves caused an attack strong enough to not only break the ice covering the frozen Torterra, but also hit Totodile, who was severely hurt.

"Totodile, can you go on?" Ash asked, glad to see how his trusty pal stood up and did a dance.

"Now, Torterra, finish this with your Vine Whip!" Paul commanded, causing the Grass-type to let his vines move towards the crocodile, who started dancing on one of them like a cord dancer!

"This is so cool!" Misty said. "Ash is lucky to have a Pokemon with such skill in its feet!"

"Yeah, it's saving him now," Lucy said, while the Pokemon were cheering for Totodile as loud as they could.

"Great, now use your Hydro Pump at full power in his face!" Ash commanded, causing Totodile to use his strongest attack. While the water smashed Torterra against the wall, Totodile felt exhausted. However, it was enough to beat the opponent. "Torterra is defeated, Totodile is the winner!" the referee declared.

"Torterra, you did well, have some rest," Paul said gently, while returning the Pokemon to its Poke Ball and sending out his Honchkrow.

"This is weird..." Ash thought. "Paul seems nicer to his Pokemon than he used to be..."

"Ash, you should choose another Pokemon, Totodile is really tired!" Brock suggested.

"No, I'm sure Totodile can defeat Honchkrow," Ash said, while the referee started the battle with a flag signal.

"Honchkrow, start with a Wing Attack!" Paul commanded. The crow flew at its opponent, only to be hit in the face. "Totodile, when Honchkrow is close, use your Hydro Pump!" Ash said quickly, causing Honchkrow to be significantly hurt.

"Honchkrow, now use your Thunder Wave!" Paul tried, going for a more strategic approach. The jolt of electricity was enough to paralyze Totodile.

"Now finish it with Shadow Ball," the purple-haired boy said, causing his Pokemon to hit Totodile with a big, dark ball emerging from the wings. This time, there was no avoiding anymore.

"No, Totodile!" Ash screamed, while the referee declared the crocodile's defeat. And so, Ash had to call back his Pokemon, followed by choosing Quilava to enter the battle.

"Honchkrow, let's start with your Haze!" Paul shouted. The Dark-type created a black, dense fog, preventing its opponent from seeing it.

"Quilava, try a Flamethrower!" Ash said, causing Quilava to spit fire at the haze, hoping to hit the bird. However, that didn't happen.

"Honchkrow, use your Whirlwind!" Paul commanded. And so, not only the fire was blown towards Quilava, but also the haze.

"And now Double-Edge!" the opponent said, causing Honchkrow to fly at Quilava at high speed. The Fire-type wasn't able to see Honchkrow coming and got hit by an extremely strong attack. With lots of trouble, he was able to stand up, but he couldn't take much more.

"Quilava, it's time to do something back, use your Blast Burn!" Ash said. A pillar of fire emerged from the ground, completely burning Honchkrow, who was hovering just above the attack. The Pokemon didn't have much energy left to battle, and was just as exhausted and damaged as Quilava, but it was enough to continue battling.

"Honchkrow, finish it with your Shadow Ball!" Paul shouted. And so, another purple blob of eerie power struck Quilava, who fell down on the ground, only to be declared to be defeated by the referee.

"This is bad, Ash only has Butterfree left..." Misty said softly, fearing a loss for her boyfriend.

"He's at least wearing clean underpants," Delia mentioned.

"Yeah, but Honchkrow is so tired, one hit should do the job," Lucy tried pumping some optimism into Misty. Meanwhile, Ash already swapped his defeated Pokemon for the beautiful butterfly, while the referee started the battle again.

"Yeah, but Honchkrow isn't a weakling, there's no guarantee Butterfree can beat it without getting hit first..." Professor Oak complained.

"Butterfree, use your Stun Spore!" Ash commanded. Dust scattered down upon Honchkrow, who was too tired to avoid getting hit. The bird was stunned and incapable of moving!

"Yes!" Ash thought. Then, he told Butterfree to use his Silver Wind, causing Honchkrow to be smashed against the wall, effectively defeating the crow.

"Honchkrow, no!" Paul shouted. While the referee declared the bird's defeat, Paul promised his Pokemon some good rest and sent out his last Pokemon. "Electivire, I choose you!" A big, yellow Pokemon stood on the grassy battlefield.

"I knew he'd use Electivire, I told you so! Brock one, Ash zero!" Brock teased.

"And I knew Butterfree would have an easy time against a weakened Honchkrow, I told you so! Lucy one, Professor Oak zero!" Lucy joked.

After the beginning signal from the referee, Paul quickly tried to make use of Electivire's sheer strength. "Thunderpunch!" he shouted. However, Butterfree flew upwards in the air, higher than Electivire could jump.

"Butterfree, try a Psybeam!" Ash said. A colourful ray from the Pokemon that hovered in the air was aimed at Electivire, but the opponent was able to run away.

"Now, use your Thunderbolt!" Paul commanded. Electivire tried to zap Butterfree, who managed to fly away fast enough.

Half an hour later, the Pokemon both weren't hit anymore, they constantly evaded each other's attacks. Both of them were incredibly fast, while Butterfree was also able to fly away from physical attacks with ease. The audience even started booing! "We want our money back! We want to get entertained, not lulled to sleep!" an angry man shouted, only to be taken away by the guards in the stadium.

"Electivire, try another Thunderpunch!" Paul tried. Then, Ash suddenly knew how to break the status quo. "Butterfree, don't avoid, but use Sleep Powder when he's in front of you!" he said. And so, a green powder was blown into the fast Pokemon's face, causing him to fall asleep, much to the audience's hilarity.

"No!" Paul shouted.

"We got 'em!" Ash said, followed by telling Butterfree what to do. The Bug-type tried another Psybeam, and this time, the attack indeed struck Electivire. However, despite damaging the Pokemon severely, the effect wasn't what Ash hoped for: Electivire woke up! However, he was still dizzy.

"Butterfree, now try your Tackle!" Ash shouted. The butterfly quickly flew towards the Electric-type and smashed himself at his opponent.

"Electivire, use your Thunder!" Paul shouted. His Pokemon wasn't able to aim well, but got lucky enough to suddenly hit Butterfree with his strongest attack! The zapped butterfly crashed down on the ground.

"Butterfree, can you go on?" Ash asked.

"This doesn't look so good," Brock moaned.

"Hey, look!" Lucy said, pointing at how Butterfree succeeded in standing up and flying upwards again.

"WAKE UP!" Misty shouted in Professor Oak's ear. The Professor fell asleep on the warm summer afternoon, mostly because of how boring the thirty minutes of avoiding were.

"Zzz... What?" the Professor asked.

"Butterfree was struck by Thunder, but can still continue! Sure, it's just one hit, but it's a very strong one," Delia helped Oak to catch up.

"Butterfree, fly behind Electivire's back and use your Silver Wind!" Ash commanded. And so, the butterfly flew to a place where Electivire couldn't see him and struck the Pokemon with a wickedly strong attack, causing the Electric-type to fall down on the ground.

"Electivire is defeated, Butterfree is the winner!" the referee announced, while looking at Butterfree.

"Butterfree, you did it!" Ash shouted, while his friends were cheering on the supporting couch behind him.

Then, after putting Butterfree in his Poke Ball and getting congratulated by his friends, Paul walked up to Ash. "Ash, six years ago, during the Sinnoh League, after you defeated me there, I thought I bettered my life. However, I realized I've still been treating my Pokemon like crap. However, now, I'm really going to change. Apparently, I can't beat someone who truly cares about his Pokemon, your way is better than mine. During the battle, I started tor realize it, and after losing to Butterfree, I've accepted that I was wrong."

"That's very mature of you, Paul!" Ash replied.

"Thank you, Ash. Thank you for showing me the way!" Paul said. "I'm going to the Pokemon Center now, bye!" Then, he ran away before Ash could say goodbye.

"Come on, let's leave this place and go back to the hotel room," Delia said. However, then, a woman from the stands jumped on the battlefield and walked up to Ash and his friends.

"Who is that woman?" Professor Oak asked.

"That's Princess Sara from the Mirage Kingdom, and she's very sexy!" Brock squealed, while being dragged away by Lucy.

"Princess Sara, what are you doing here?" Ash asked.

"Well, for a state visit to Johto, I'm here at the Johto League," Sara explained, while shaking hands with Togetic. "And it's Queen Sara now, don't you remember?"

"Yeah, sorry," Ash said. "Why did you jump from the stands and run at us like that?"

"Well, I saw Togetic and Misty standing up from the coaching and support couch behind you, so I wondered if Misty had any questions about Togetic suddenly returning to her two years ago," Sara explained.

"Yes, I indeed have. I still don't understand why Togetic returned. I'm very happy with it, of course, but didn't you need her to protect the Togepi Paradise?" Misty asked.

"The reason why we needed your Togetic seven years ago was because we only had Togepi, while we wanted the protector of the Paradise to be stronger, evolved... Because she was a Togetic, we felt like we needed her, and she felt like she was needed here too, despite wanting to stay with you. However, two years ago, my own Togepi evolved and felt like protecting the kingdom. Because of that, I told your Togetic that she was allowed to go back to you if she wanted to. And I knew you needed it, you seemed really sad and depressed when I met you, I thought you could use a friend like Togetic," the Queen explained.

"That's so sweet!" Misty said, while shedding a tear. "That's so... thoughtful..."

"Hey, look!" Brock yelled, while Lucy and Sara stood next to each other. "Queen Lucy and Queen Sara, the hottest queens on the planet!" The pervert was referring to Lucy's 'Pike Queen' nickname and Sara's status in the Mirage Kingdom. "I've got to take a sexy picture of this! I wish Sara would have such a skimpy outfit like Lucy!" However, before he could take his camera from his backpack, he felt how Lucy dragged his ear again.

"Queen Sara, does Brock's behaviour offend you?" Professor Oak asked. "This is really impolite!"

"Yeah, just like you sleeping when you're supposed to watch Ash's battle," Delia teased.

"No, it's fine," Sara said. "He can't help it, I know that's just his personality. Anyways, I've got to go now, the mayor of Silver Town is waiting for me. Bye! And don't tell anyone you heard about this!"

"Bye, thanks for explaining that what I've wondered about for two years!" Misty said, while walking away together with the rest of the group. Then, much to Misty's dismay, she saw the fixtures for the next round tomorrow. Tomorrow, in the evening, Ash would have to battle Melody.


	38. Chapter 38

"Melody, are you participating in this tournament just to see Ash?" Misty asked in a snappy voice. She, Ash, Lucy, Brock, Pikachu and Togetic were standing in front of the big stadium, where Ash was about to battle Melody today. As usual, Misty and Melody were fighting again. Meanwhile, Melody's Furret was gushing over Togetic. "What a perv," Pikachu and Togetic thought.

"No, I just wanna be a successful Pokemon trainer!" Melody countered, while winking at Ash, who just blandly stood there and didn't know what to do. He didn't want to anger Misty even more.

"And why did you wink at Ash like that?" the angry redhead continued.

"Because I love him," Melody said.

"Well, he's my boyfriend, so back off!" Misty snapped. "Stop trying to ruin our relationship!"

"It's up to him to choose, not to you!" Melody countered. "So, Ash, who do you wanna be with? With nagging, snapping Misty, or with me and my sexy looks? I won't nag to you all the time, and I'm not short-tempered like she is."

"She sure does look sexy," Brock said, while Lucy dragged him away from the Shamouti Island-native.

Then, Ash finally involved himself in the argument. "Melody, I'm sick of you and Misty always fighting! Yes, I like your looks, but I don't love you! I love Misty, and I also prefer her looks over yours, and I always will!" Ash snapped.

"Ash, come with me, there's something I want to ask you without others hearing it," Melody asked, taking Ash to a corner behind the stadium. There, she started whispering. "I know how you like challenges, huh?"

"Yeah," Ash said, while staring at Melody's chest. "Our upcoming battle is a nice one. But I'm sure I'm gonna win!"

"Is that so? Well, then how would you like to place a little wager on it?" Melody asked.

"Wager? What are you talking about?" Ash asked.

"If you win, I'll leave you and Misty alone and stop flirting with you. But if I win, you and I are gonna have a romantic picknick at the beach tomorrow," Melody proposed. "And if he's there with me, I'll seduce him again with my looks," she thought. "I know he's gonna love my new bikini, and then, Ash will be my boyfriend! Will I finally find the love I've been looking for?"

"I don't want that, it's not worth the risk of hurting Misty," Ash said.

"Oh, you can always tell her you're going to run a small errand. If she doesn't know, it won't hurt," Melody tried.

"I still stand by my answer, I don't want this," Ash said.

Melody tried to think of other ways to get Ash to accept her deal. Then, she got it. "Oh, are you scared? Do you think you can't do it? If you're really that good, you'd believe in yourself and wouldn't even think about the possibility of losing!" she teased.

"No, I'm not scared! I just..." Ash moaned, while Melody imitated the sound of a frightened chicken. He couldn't take it anymore, he knew he was going to beat that girl, but she kept teasing him. "Oh, alright then, deal!" he shouted.

"Splendid. See you in ten minutes on the battlefield, and then we're going to the beach tomorrow!" Melody said, just before walking into the stadium.

Then, Misty and the others quickly walked up to Ash. "What did she ask?" his girlfriend asked.

He felt scared, he didn't have the guts to confront his girlfriend with what would happen if he'd lose the battle. "Well, Misty, she had a deal. If I win, she's gonna leave us alone and respect our relationship," Ash said with a big smile.

"Awesome! And what if you lose?" Misty asked.

"Then I need to have lunch with her at the beach," Ash admitted.

"What?" Misty asked. "How could you do this?" She was about to punch Ash in the face, but Tracey and Brock held her back.

"Believe me, I'm sure I'm gonna win!" Ash countered. "Don't worry about it."

"Ash, don't you realize you're hurting your girlfriend if you lose?" Professor Oak asked. "It's very immature to even consider such a wager!"

"Professor, don't be too harsh towards him," Delia said. "He's just so confident, of course he's gonna win!"

"There's always the possibility of losing. And then what?" Lucy asked Ash.

"Then I'm just not gonna show up," Ash said.

"And do you think that sexy lady is gonna accept that? Oh no, Ash. If you lose, you've got a date," Brock said.

"I can just tell her I'm ill, and then quickly leave Mt. Silver with Misty," Ash suggested.

"Ash, why were you stupid enough to do this to me?" Misty asked.

"I wasn't doing it to you, I was doing it for you!" Ash countered. "I know how much Melody annoys you, so the possibility of getting rid of her flirting appealed to me. I'm sick of these arguments!"

"And did you realize you could lose the battle as well?" Misty asked.

"Not really, of course I'm gonna win," Ash said. "Misty, does this mean you're gonna break up with me if I lose this battle?" he asked.

"No, I love you too much for that, I know your intentions weren't bad. You just wanted to get rid of her, and maybe she tripped you into this deal with some seducing or teasing... But I'd definitely be hurt if you two would date. Who knows, maybe you'll fall in love with her and leave me for her..." Misty said, while a tear flew down her right eye.

"Don't worry, Misty," Ash said. "I'm just gonna beat her, there's nothing to worry about!"

"I hope you do... I hope you do..." Misty whispered.

And so, ten minutes later, a very tense battle was about to start. Not only would Ash lose another League if he wouldn't win today, but he might also do serious damage to his relationship with Misty. On the rocky field, Ash and Melody were ready to choose their first Pokemon. Meanwhile, Misty, Lucy, Brock, Professor Oak, Togetic, Psyduck, Hoppip, Azumarill and Ludicolo were cheering for Ash, while Pikachu stood next to his trainer. The yellow Pokemon was registered for this battle. Then, Misty ran at Melody. "Hey, you skank! Trying to get my boyfriend to cheat on me, huh?" she snapped.

"No!" Melody said. "It's just a romantic lunch, no kissing or sex!"

"Really? Come on, you almost humped him last time and you're gonna try it again if you get the chance!" Misty snapped.

"So what? He agreed on this deal," Melody defended herself.

"Yeah, but you tripped him into this by making those chicken sounds!" Misty snapped.

"I can't help it that he's so stupid," Melody said.

"Well, you shouldn't take advantage of it!" Misty shouted.

"He doesn't love you, don't you realize?" Melody said. "If he'd really love you, he wouldn't agree on a bet like that. Don't you get it? He loves me, he wants to lose this battle in order to romantically date a real lady. A real lady like me!"

"Shut up! He loves me for who I am, he only liked you for your looks!" Misty snapped. Meanwhile, a stadium guard jumped from the stands and walked up to the fighting girls.

"I love him, and I'll do whatever I can to get him," Melody said. "Encouraging someone to cheat on you isn't my proudest moment, but damn it, I love him!"

"You unbelievable b*tch..." Misty muttered, while raising her fist in order to punch the flirty girl, only to be stopped by the guard.

"Hey, this is between Melody and me! Go away!" Misty snapped.

"Sorry, but according to the Pokemon League Agency rules, only the Pokemon are allowed to fight on the battlefield. I have to ask you to go back to the coaching couch behind Ash immediately," the guard said. Misty was disappointed, but knew she didn't have a choice. After all, if she didn't follow his orders, she'd have to leave the stadium immediately.

"Wow, Misty, you're out of control!" Brock noticed.

"If another man would try to steal Lucy away from you, you'd understand how I feel," Misty shouted.

"Brock already knows how it feels, because he fell for so many women who ended up with other guys," Lucy teased.

"Hey, that's not funny!" Brock snapped.

"Says the one who flirts with any girl he sees," Lucy teased.

"That's what happens if every girl I see is hot," Brock said.

"I see so many guys, and the only one I see as hot is you," Lucy said.

"Well, as long as I stay faithful, looking at other girls is fine, huh?" Brock asked.

"Yes, if you don't mind me doing what Misty, Max and Croagunk used to do," Lucy teased, much to Delia's and Oak's laughter. Then, it was time for serious business: Melody sent out her Serperior.

"Hmm, a Grass type, huh? Go, Pidgeot!" Ash said, while hurling a Poke Ball.

"Begin!" the referee shouted, starting the six-on-six battle.

"Serperior, use your Leech Seed!" Melody commanded. The seed shot by the Grass-type wrapped around the bird, trying to drain away all its energy.

"This isn't good..." Brock moaned, while looking at the way Pidgeot tried to peck the seed away, but failed. "All energy will be drained away and there's nothing Pidgeot can do..."

"Pidgeot, return!" Ash shouted, while putting the bird back in his Poke Ball. "Retreating is better than losing a Pokemon too soon," he thought. Then, he decided to go for another type advantage. "Arcanine, I choose you!"

"That's a smart switch," Lucy thought, while seeing how the dog Pokemon gritted his teeth, being ready to fight.

Meanwhile, Melody came up with an idea. Despite the hot summer temperature, rain was falling down from the sky. However, she had a strategy that involved different weather. "Serperior, Sunny Day," she said. And so, the Grass-type caused the sun to shine brightly.

"Arcanine, use your Fire Blast!" Ash commanded. However, the shot of fire wasn't affecting its opponent, who was able to avoid at blinding speed.

"Serperior, Solarbeam!" Melody commanded. Because of the weather, there was no need to charge for the blasting beam that struck Arcanine. However, the Pokemon stood up, despite feeling some pain.

"Arcanine, try some more Fire Blasts!" Ash tried. And so, the dog-like creature shot fire at its opponent, but all efforts ended up to be futile against the blinding fast Grass-type, who was able to avoid anything Arcanine tried so far.

"This is useless... Serperior will avoid anything Arcanine does..." Ash thought, while Arcanine got hit by a Tackle from the final evolution of Snivy.

"I got it!" Ash shouted. "Arcanine, use your Fire Spin!" A fast tornado of flames started moving rapidly fast on the rocky battlefield, striking Serperior. Because of the sunlight, the attack was even stronger than it would normally be, causing the Grass-type to collapse. "Serperior is defeated, Arcanine is the winner!" the referee shouted.

"You did it!" Ash complimented his pal. Meanwhile, he noticed Melody's next Pokemon: Ninetales. He remembered a battle had had with Melody earlier on his journey with Misty, before Melody started pursuing a relationship with him.

Meanwhile, on the coaching couch, the group was talking. "A hot Ninetales fits a hot trainer," Brock stated.

"And a cool Milotic fits your cool girlfriend," Lucy joked, referring to her signature Pokemon.

"Melody has one too," Brock said.

"Do you think Ash is in the lead now?" Delia asked.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Arcanine is very tired," Professor Oak admitted. "I'd retreat him if I were Ash."

"I heard that," Ash said. "Arcanine is doing great, why would I do that?"

"I don't think Arcanine can take much more, he's really tired," the Professor explained.

"Aww, come on, what can a fellow Fire-type do? Ninetales lacks effective attacks, while Arcanine has attacks of different types," Ash asked.

"I wish you'd listen to others once in a while... Oh well, it's your choice..." Misty moaned.

Then, the battle resumed. "Arcanine, use your Dragon Rage!" Ash said. A big tornado whipped up, catching Ninetales and making her spin around in the air.

"Good! Now use Dragonbreath!" A green, small wave was aimed at the fox, who had to take another hit.

Then, the tornado caused by Dragon Rage stopped spinning. However, against everybody's expectations, Ninetales was able to continue! She was barely able to stand on her feet, she was about to collapse, but she wasn't done for yet. "Ninetales, now use your Heat Wave!" Melody said.

"Huh? Heat Wave? That's not gonna affect Arcanine," Ash thought. However, the heat caused a rock close to Arcanine to crash into pieces that fell down on the dog! Once the attack was over, everyone could see the Fire-type was done for. "Arcanine is defeated, Ninetales is the winner!" the referee said. "I knew he should've chosen another Pokemon..." Misty thought.

"Arcanine, you did a good job," Ash said, while returning the Pokemon to his Poke Ball. Then, he sent out Pidgeot, who didn't have to suffer from Leech Seed's effects anymore. "Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Ninetales, let's go for the same recipe, another Heat Wave!" Melody said, while looking as confident as never before. Again, the rocks around Pidgeot crumbled. Then, in the blink of an eye, Ash knew what he had to do.

"Pidgeot, Whirlwind!" Ash shouted. And so, the small stones were all shot at Ninetales. The Fire-type wasn't able to deal with rocks well and already took a beating from Arcanine, eventually leading to her defeat.

"Wow, Ash isn't as stupid as I thought," Lucy said.

"Yeah, he's not that bright, but he's good at improvisation in battles," Professor Oak replied, while Melody sent out her Sylveon. And so, the referee told the trainers to resume the match.

"Pidgeot, use your Tackle!" Ash commanded, causing the bird to charge into the Fairy-type, hitting it at high speed.

"Sylveon, try a Swift!" Melody said. Star-shaped rays were shot at the big bird, who wasn't able to avoid this giant blow.

"Pidgeot, use your Aerial Ace," Ash shouted, causing the bird to quickly strike the fairy again.

"Sylveon, Shadow Ball!" Melody commanded. However, the big, purple ball didn't have any effect.

"Huh, Shadow Ball?" Brock thought. "That doesn't work on a part-Normal type!"

"It might be a trick," Lucy suggested.

"Sylveon, finish it with Hyper Beam!" Melody shouted. And so, a big, yellow beam was shot at the bird, who crashed down. "Pidgeot is defeated, Sylveon is the winner!"

"That was a good strategy, distracting Pidgeot with Shadow Ball to make him less likely to avoid that Hyper Beam," Professor Oak admitted.

"Yeah, Lucy was right after all," Misty said.

Then, the defeated Pidgeot was recalled and replaced by Pikachu. "Begin!" the referee screamed.

"Pikachu, start with a Quick Attack!" Ash said. Melody told her Pokemon to do the same, causing them to bump into each other, leaving both damaged. However, because of fighting Pidgeot, Sylveon had less energy left than the yellow mouse.

"Sylveon, Shadow Ball!" Melody tried. This time, the opponent got hit with a major blow. However, Pikachu was able to stand up with ease.

"Pikachu, end it with your Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted. And so, Pikachu totally zapped the fairy, causing it to fall down on the ground. And so, Melody recalled her Pokemon and picked her next one: Furret.

"Oh, that Furret is quite strong..." Misty moaned.

"Have you seen him often?" Lucy asked.

"That Furret is no good, he's a total pervert! He gushed over Togetic in a really inappropriate way before this battle started," Misty remembered.

"So like a Pokemon-version of Brock," Lucy teased her boyfriend.

"That Furret looks so adorable!" Delia fangirl squealed.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't underestimate him, he looks strong," Professor Oak stated.

After the signal from the referee, Pikachu tried to zap Furret with another Thunderbolt. However, the Normal-type quickly evaded the blow.

"Furret, use your Slam!" Melody commanded. The ferret ran at Pikachu, slamming him with his big tail.

"Great, and now Dig!" she said. The Normal-type dug a hole underground and was about to surprise Pikachu.

However, Ash knew what to do next. "Pikachu, use your Thunder in that tunnel!" Waves of lightning entered the hole dug by Furret, completely zapping the Pokemon, who jumped out of the hole quickly. The Normal-type looked very tired.

"Pikachu, finish it with your Volt Tackle!" Ash commanded, causing the Electric-type to run at the ferret at blinding speed.

"Furret, this is our chance! Use your Strength!" Melody said quickly, causing Furret to slam Pikachu at high power, causing the electric mouse to collapse.

"Pikachu is defeated, Furret is the winner!" the referee shouted. Then, Ash carried Pikachu to the coaching bench, asking Misty, Brock, Lucy, Delia and Professor Oak to take care of the tired Pokemon who didn't want to be in a Poke Ball. Togetic quickly flew at Pikachu to make sure her boyfriend wasn't too injured, and healed him with her Softboiled.

"That's so sweet!" Professor Oak noticed. "Togetic gave some of her energy to Pikachu, so he doesn't have to go the Pokemon Center anymore!"

"Yeah, some rest should do for now," Brock said. Then, after seeing Ash chose Butterfree as his next Pokemon, they concentrated on the battle again.

First, Melody told her Furret to use Quick Attack. However, Butterfree flew upwards and avoided the blow. But then, Furret tried again and struck again, hurting Butterfree.

"Butterfree, use your Tackle!" Ash shouted. However, the butterfly saw Furret jumping away just before the blow.

"Furret, Brick Break!" Melody commanded. And so, the Normal-type ran at the butterfly.

Then, Ash knew what to do. "Butterfree, Silver Wind!" Ash screamed. A beautiful gust of wind struck the ferret, smashing him against a rock, causing him to be defeated.

"Furret is defeated, Butterfree is the winner!" the referee said. While Ash was cheering, Melody complimented Furret and retreated the Normal-type, while Magnezone entered the battlefield.

"This isn't good, Butterfree can't take Electric attacks..." Brock complained.

"So? Ash has Squirtle and Bulbasaur left, he can switch," Delia suggested.

"Not really... Squirtle also can't take electricity, while Bulbasaur needs to be saved for battling Melody's Milotic," Professor Oak explained.

Then, the battle resumed. "Butterfree, use your Silver Wind!" Ash tried, knowing the attempt would be futile. And indeed, even though Magnezone was too slow to avoid the attack, the wind did little damage.

"Magnezone, Flash Cannon!" Melody shouted. A big, mirror-like light ball was shot at the butterfly, who was fast enough to fly away from the attack.

"Butterfree, let's try Take Down," Ash suggested. Butterfree flew at Magnezone at high speed, attempting to charge into the magnet.

"Magnezone, we got him! Thunder!" Melody commanded. The Steel-type did what its trainer asked him to, zapping Butterfree from a very small distance, defeating the Bug-type.

"Thank you, Butterfree, you did an awesome job," Ash complimented, while returning the bug to his Poke Ball. Then, Squirtle was sent out.

"This is bad, Squirtle won't stand a chance!" Delia thought. However, her son, who she forced to put on clean boxers against his will again today, had a strategy in mind.

"Hmm... Squirtle, weird choice..." Melody thought. "He probably has some weird trick in mind when choosing a Water Pokemon against Magnezone... I'll have to dispose of Squirtle quickly, and then I'm close to a chance to seduce my beloved Ashyboy!"

After the referee told the trainers to begin, Melody ordered her Pokemon to zap Squirtle with Thunder. Ash told the turtle to retreat in his shell to lower the done damage, resulting in survival of the attack. Then, Ash saw that Magnezone was still sparking from electricity and knew what to do. "Squirtle, use your Hydro Pump!" The turtle started spinning around, spouting water out of his shell, shooting Magnezone at the wall and causing an explosion around Magnezone, as a result of how water conducts electricity. And so, Magnezone was defeated!

"Squirtle, that was awesome!" Ash said to his Pokemon, who was clearly hurt by the Thunder. Meanwhile, Melody complimented Magnezone for a good battle and for defeating Butterfree and sent out her strongest Pokemon. On a rocky battlefield, Milotic wasn't very mobile or fast, but that wouldn't stop Milotic from being very strong.

Then, the referee gave the signal to begin. "Squirtle, let's start with Skull Bash!" Ash said. The Water Pokemon jumped at Milotic, attempting to charge his head against her.

"Milotic, use your Iron Tail!" Melody commanded. The Tender Pokemon moved her tail a bit, enough to smash Squirtle against the wall, causing it to collapse. "Squirtle is defeated, Milotic is the winner!" And so, Ash sent out his last Pokemon, Bulbasaur.

"Wow, both have one Pokemon left, it's all or nothing now..." the tense Misty whispered silently. "Bulbasaur just has to win, I don't wanna lose Ash to that flirty b*tch..."

"Well, at least Bulbasaur has a type advantage," Lucy tried to cheer Misty up.

"Yeah, but that Milotic is strong," Brock said. "I've seen that Milotic defeat Pikachu with one hit some months ago when I was with Ash and Misty between National Park and Goldenrod City, so I know the Milotic we're dealing with is not a weak one!"

"Brock, who are you supporting?" Delia asked. "I can understand why Melody is hot for you, but Ash is your friend!"

"I'm torn!" Brock screamed. "I just have a soft spot for hot ladies, but I don't want to abandon my best friends! I know Ash needs to win, both for himself and for Misty."

"And for me," Professor Oak mentioned. "I'd rather see happy Pokemon at my lab than ones that are sad about losing a League again. And it's pretty sad how a great trainer like Ash never won a League..."

"Well, I believe in him, he can beat Melody," Lucy said. "Bulbasaur has the type advantage, and both Ash and Bulbasaur have proven themself often."

And so, the battle started. "Milotic, start with your Iron Tail!" Melody said.

However, Ash knew how to deal with that attack. "Bulbasaur, use your Vine Whip!" The Grass Pokemon's vines grabbed the tail of the long sea snake.

"Now, use your Solarbeam!" Ash said. The sun was still shining, which meant there was no time needed for charging up the attack. A strong ray of energy was shot from Bulbasaur's bulb. However, Melody knew what she had to do.

"Milotic, use your Mirror Coat!" she shouted quickly. And so, Bulbasaur got hit by his own attack, and that at double power! However, Milotic wasn't undamaged either. Both Pokemon were clearly struggling.

"Milotic, let's not dwell too long and just finish it quickly," Melody suggested. "Use your Surf!" A giant flood wave emerged from one side of the battlefield, about to soak Bulbasaur.

Ash was under pressure, he had to do something quickly about an attack that can't just be evaded. "Bulbasaur, use your Whirlwind!" Ash shouted. A gust of wind emerged from the bulb, causing the flood to turn backwards, crashing down on Milotic! "And now grab her with your Vine Whip and finish it with Solarbeam!" Bulbasaur did what he was told to, resulting in another strong Solarbeam hitting Milotic, who was too dazzled by Surf to use Mirror Coat again.

"Yes, we did it!" Ash shouted. However, Milotic stood up again!

"Milotic, finish it with your Double-Edge!" Melody shouted, attempting a last-ditch attack to strike down the small Grass-type. The serpent charged into Bulbasaur, who was clearly hurt. Then, both Pokemon tried to stand up after collapsing. Misty almost collapsed too, fearing that Bulbasaur might be done for.

"Bulbasaur, you can do it!" Ash encouraged.

"Come on, Milotic, Bulbasaur won't last long anymore!" Melody said.

Then, Milotic stood up and seemed ready for battle again! However, then, she collapsed again. This time, she was really defeated. Meanwhile, Bulbasaur managed to get up!

"Milotic is unable to battle. Bulbasaur is the winner! Victory goes to Ash from Pallet Town, who advances to the next round!" the referee shouted. Meanwhile, Ash was hugging Bulbasaur and celebrating with Pikachu, while Melody made sure Milotic wasn't too hurt. Then, Misty entered the battlefield. "Ash, you did it!" she shouted, while giving her boyfriend a tongue-kiss.

Then, Melody walked up to the kissing couple. "Ash, Misty, I'm a woman of my word. I'll leave you two alone from now on, this is true love right here. I'll find the boy of my dreams someday," she said. "It's time for me to move on. I'm going to travel through Kanto now, I'm sure there must be some nice boys there."

"That's very mature of you," Misty said.

Then, Brock ran at Melody, not counting on Lucy going after him. "Melody, Lucy and I welcome you in the Battle Pike, how about a sexy threesome?"

"Maybe you want that, but I don't," Lucy teased, while dragging Brock away by his ear, causing the entire group to laugh. "That's our silly Brock," Delia commented. Meanwhile, Pikachu was restored from the injuries he suffered during the battle and kissed Togetic.


	39. Chapter 39

Some days after the battle against Melody, on a hot summer Monday afternoon, Ash stood just outside of the League hotel, waiting for an old friend to return.

"Ash, we've been standing in the scorching sunlight for thirty minutes, what are we waiting for?" Lucy asked.

"An old friend of mine is returning, they said they'd be here, but they're late..." Ash moaned. "If they're not here soon, I'll be in trouble for my match against Harrison..."

"Misty, do you know what old friend he means?" Delia asked.

"Yes, but it's nicer to surprise you and Lucy. I think Brock and Professor Oak know who Ash is referring to," Misty teased.

"Hey, I see something," Brock said, pointing at a Charizard in the air. Then, the fire lizard and a girl came down from the sky. Then, the girl opened a Poke Ball, sending out the Pokemon our heroes have been waiting for. When Ash wanted to hug his own Charizard, his face got burned by a Flamethrower, something Charizard used to do to Ash often.

"Charizard, it's so good to see you again!" Ash said. Meanwhile, Brock ran at the green-haired girl, but got pulled back by Lucy.

"Ash, sorry for being late, we encountered Team Rocket, but defeated them easily," the girl explained.

"It's fine, I understand," Ash replied. "I'm just glad to see Charizard again. But why didn't he fly himself, why was he in a Poke Ball?"

"If he flies all the way, he'd be too tired to battle today," Liza explained. "Charizard should be able to do two big battles now, he had a lot of rest and is in perfect shape."

"Makes sense, thanks for thinking that way!" Ash said.

"So you'll use him in the semifinal against Harrison, and in the final round if you win today, and then you'll just tell Charizard to fly back to the Charicific Valley, like we agreed on the phone, okay?" Liza asked. "I'm busy, so I can't pick him up myself, I have to go now. Bye!"

"Yes, thank you for bringing him here!" Ash thanked, while Liza flew away on her own Charizard, Charla. "Bye!"

"Why didn't you tell us about this?" Delia asked.

"I thought it would be a nice surprise for you all," Ash said. "I actually wanted to use Charizard earlier, but Liza didn't have time to bring him here. However, when I called her yesterday, she told me she was able to come here today."

"What Pokemon are you going to use in your match against Harrison today?" Misty asked.

"Muk, Totodile, Heracross, Sceptile, Snorlax and Charizard," Ash answered. "I actually wanted to use Bayleef, but she suffered a small foot injury during the training yesterday, so I'm giving her some rest at the Pokemon Center. Tracey sent over Sceptile as a replacement, and if I beat Harrison today, Bayleef will be fully ready to take part in the final round."

"That's smart, you don't want to use a Pokemon that isn't truly ready to battle," Brock complimented. Ash nodded.

"Why aren't you using Pikachu?" Delia asked.

"I don't want to use all the Pokemon I'd use if I reach the final round, so Pikachu, Arcanine and Bulbasaur also get some rest," Ash explained. "And besides, Pikachu doesn't really have any type advantages against Harrison's team."

"Do you know who your opponents in the final round could be?" Professor Oak asked.

"Yes, Misty looked for me. Today, at the same moment I'm battling Harrison, Gary and Bruno are battling in the other semifinal," Ash said.

"Who would you rather battle, Gary or Bruno?" Lucy asked.

"First, I have to beat Harrison to even think about that. But both would be nice. Gary is my rival, I'd love to see his face once I beat him in the final, but a battle against someone like Bruno would also be a nice challenge," Ash answered.

"Wow, that's a mature answer. I'd normally expect you to just go wild and take a win today for granted," Brock answered.

"Well, Misty taught me a lot, and the book Zoey and Dawn gave me for my birthday also helps," Ash said.

"Ash, I have a nice idea for you. While you battle Harrison, one of us should visit the match between Gary and Bruno. That person could get some more information on their strategies and Pokemon. That could help you prepare for the final battle if you win today," Misty suggested.

"Nice idea, but I want you on the coaching couch, I want my girlfriend's support," Ash complained.

"Well, Brock, Lucy, Delia, Professor Oak, would one of you be willing to do this?" Misty asked.

"I'd love to," Brock said, with a big blush on his face.

"I don't think so!" Lucy shouted, while pulling Brock's ear.

"Why not?" Brock asked.

"Because that means there's no one to stop you if you flirt with other women if I'm not there," Lucy explained.

"I suppose I could do it. It's hard for me, because Gary is my grandson, but I've taken Ash under my wing and acted like a second father to him... No, I can't do this, I'd feel wrong if I'd actively help Ash to defeat my own grandson..." Professor Oak muttered.

"How about you, Lucy?" Delia suggested.

"I could do it, but then who is there to take care of Brock?" Lucy asked.

"Don't worry, I'll pull his ear if he gets pervy," Misty offered.

"Well then, that's settled. I'll go to that stadium now to buy a ticket for the match. You should probably go to the other stadium quickly, Ash's battle with Harrison is going to start very soon," Lucy said.

And so, thirty minutes later, Ash registered his team, including Charizard, and stood close to the grassy battlefield, ready to defeat the man who denied him access to the semifinals in the Johto League seven years ago. Meanwhile, Misty, Delia, Brock, Professor Oak, Pikachu, Togetic, Ludicolo, Hoppip, Dewgong and Azumarill were cheering on the coaching couch as usual. However, Lucy wasn't there. She was analysing Gary and Bruno in the other stadium.

"This is a six on six battle between Ash and Harrison. The winner will advance to the final round of the Johto League. There is no time limit. Trainers, choose your Pokemon!"

"Muk, I choose you!" Ash said, while releasing the purple blob from his Poke Ball. Meanwhile, an iron snake emerged from Harrison's Poke Ball. "Muk versus Steelix, begin!" the referee shouted.

"This isn't good," Professor Oak thought. "Poison attacks won't work against a Steel-type..."

"Muk, let's start with your Sludge Bomb!" Ash commanded. A blob was hurled at the iron snake, who was too slow to avoid the attack, but shrugged off the sludge by shaking its head, while not being damaged at all.

"Steelix, use your Hyper Beam!" Harrison commanded. He was lucky Muk was just as slow as his Steelix, and the strong ray of energy struck Muk, causing it to immediately collapse, backed up by the referee's decision. "Muk is defeated, Steelix is the winner!"

"Maybe Ash should've just used his strongest team," Delia said.

"Yes, but then they'd be tired, and Ash needs them most in the final," Professor Oak said. "Pikachu, Bayleef, Arcanine and Bulbasaur already did multiple League battles and are all tired, while Bayleef has that small injury. If Ash wins today, they'll all be fully fit for the final round."

"But he registered Snorlax and Charizard, two of his strongest Pokemon," Brock countered.

"Yes, but Snorlax rests often, he won't be tired out. And Charizard is in great shape and even rested to prepare for today and for the battle next Thursday, if Ash wins," the professor explained.

"Yeah, if that battle on Thursday will be there for Ash..." Misty whispered, while Ash chose his second Pokemon. Then, the referee told the trainers to resume the battle.

"Totodile, let's start with your Water Gun!" Ash commanded. A blast of water struck the iron snake, severely damaging it.

"Steelix, now use your Wrap!" Harrison commanded, causing the tail of his Pokemon to wrap around the dancing crocodile and squeeze. "And now, just squeeze and strangle until he's defeated!"

While Ash tried to think off a possible strategy, Totodile tried getting out of the wrap by trying Bite, Headbutt and even a Scary Face, but none of these moves worked.

"It's no use, Totodile is done for..." Brock moaned.

"And that with a type advantage..." Misty muttered. Then, she stood up. "Totodile, you can do it! Do it for Ash, for yourself, for me, for all Water Pokemon!" "TOGE TOGETIC!" her Pokemon screamed, while the other Pokemon also started to cheer louder. Then, Totodile tried to break free with all his power and succeeded! Then, he stood on Steelix's head. The snake tried to shake to throw the crocodile away, but failed.

"Yes! Totodile, now use Hydro Pump in his face!" Ash said. The crocodile raised his mouth and spit water at the Steel-type's face, striking it down with a major blow. The referee raised a flag. "Steelix is defeated, Totodile is the winner!"

While the crocodile was dancing to celebrate his victory, Harrison quickly sent out his next Pokemon: Sneasel. Ash realized one of the Pokemon he registered for this battle would match up better than his current one. "Totodile, come back," he said, while returning the Pokemon to a ball. After that, Heracross was chosen to take on the Dark-type opponent. Then, the referee told the trainers to begin.

"Sneasel, use your Scratch!" Harrison shouted. The black Pokemon ran at the blue bug, ready to slash and attack.

"Heracross, Endure, take as much as you can!" Ash shouted.

"Huh? He's basically giving up on Heracross, not even making him avoid the attack..." Harrison thought. "Oh well, it makes things easier for us." Then, the Hoenn-native looked at Sneasel. "Go on until that bug is defeated!"

Slashes, scratches and claws were all Heracross kept feeling all the time. The bug was worn out and couldn't take this much longer. "Heracross, hang in there, you can do it!" Ash shouted. One minute later, Heracross was almost done for. "Now, Reversal!" the boy from Pallet Town shouted. The beetle gave Sneasel a major blow with his horn, smacking him down in just one hit!

"Wow, that's a good strategy! The more damage Heracross takes, the more damage Reversal will deal," Professor Oak explained.

"This is a Paul-like strategy, Ash also learned from his rival," Brock mentioned.

"Yeah, but Heracross can't keep fighting for much longer..." Misty realized.

Then, after seeing how Harrison chose Houndoom as his next Pokemon, the battle started again. "Heracross, try another Reversal!" Ash shouted, knowing Houndoom would take lots of damage from this strong attack.

However, when Heracross was close to the black Pokemon, Harrison put a stop to this plan. "Houndoom, Counter!" When the bug struck the Fire-type, the attack was returned to the attacker himself, effectively defeating the weakened Heracross. "Heracross is defeated, Houndoom is the winner!" the referee announced.

"Heracross, you did a great job. Have some rest," Ash complimented, while hurling a new Poke Ball after returning his Bug-type Pokemon.

"Hmm, Totodile again... Good choice against Houndoom!" Misty cheered.

"Yeah, but maybe Totodile might be too tired from fighting Steelix, I'm not sure if this is really a good idea," Brock complained.

After the referee shouted "Begin!" Ash knew he had to use non-physical moves to prevent another Counter. "Totodile, Scary Face!" The small crocodile gazed at Houndoom, but the dog didn't feel scared at all. Instead, he started laughing like he's getting tickled with a feather! "Wow, that Totodile is so weak and funny!" the Fire-type thought.

"Now he's distracted, fire your Hydro Pump at him!" Ash shouted. Totodile spit water at the opponent, smashing him against the wall of the stadium, almost defeating him.

"Houndoom, try a Headbutt!" Harrison commanded. The dog was barely able to stand up, but when he did, he immediately ran at Totodile.

"Totodile, avoid the attack!" Ash screamed. The crocodile jumped up in time to evade the attack. Then, he jumped on Houndoom's head, delivering the Fire-type the final blow.

While the referee announced Houndoom's defeat, Harrison complimented his Pokemon and replaced him with his Hypno.

"Do you think Totodile can do this?" Brock asked.

"Totodile is very tired, I'm afraid one good hit will defeat him now," Professor Oak predicted.

Then, the battle started. "Hypno is slow and won't avoid much," Ash thought. Then, he told Totodile to use Crunch. The Pokemon gave Hypno a gnaw, severely damaging the Psychic-type. However, then, Hypno suddenly sent Totodile flying, causing the Water-type to crash down on the ground. Totodile was defeated!

"Oh well, at least Totodile did some nice damage with Crunch," Misty said.

"What Pokemon should Ash use now?" Delia asked.

"Snorlax would be good," Brock thought.

"Indeed. Snorlax usually sleeps at this time of the day," Professor Oak said.

"Why?" Delia asked. "If he sleeps, he can't fight."

"Don't you remember that battle seven years ago? Back then, Snorlax woke up and destroyed Hypno," Misty remembered.

"That's exactly what I meant," Oak said.

Then, after Ash indeed chose Snorlax, who was sleeping like expected, the battle began. "Snorlax, wake up!" Ash shouted, hoping to annoy Snorlax so much that he would take his anger out on Hypno. Unfortunately, the Pokemon remained asleep.

"Hypno, use your Dream Eater!" Harrison shouted. The Psychic-type kept draining away the energy, slowly defeating the fat Pokemon. The longer he slept, the more damage he received.

However, then, Snorlax woke up. His eyes were burning, feeling a desire to take out anger on the one who woke him up. "Snorlax, you see Hypno over there? His Dream Eater woke him up, punish him with Body Slam!" And so, the Normal-type used all of his power, completely throwing all of his weight at the opponent, who was instantly defeated. "Hypno is defeated, Snorlax is the winner!"

"Yay, you did it!" Ash cheered, while Harrison replaced the Psychic-type with his Keckleon.

Then, the referee told the Pokemon to begin. "Keckleon, Lick!" The attack didn't hurt Snorlax, but creeped out the fat Normal-type, who was already weakened by Hypno's Dream Eater.

"Snorlax, Ice Punch!" The strong Ice move smashed the chameleon, but didn't defeat it. Then, the Pokemon became invisible.

"Snorlax, what do we do now?" Ash asked. Snorlax looked around, but wasn't able to see the opponent. When Keckleon becomes invisible, it's possible to see the red pattern of his belly, but Snorlax was too slow to follow that.

"Strike him down, finish it with Double-Edge!" the opponent from Hoenn shouted. And so, the Pokemon became visible again and charged into the overweight Normal-type, defeating him. Then, Ash quickly complimented him and sent out his next Pokemon: Sceptile.

"Keckleon, start with your Tackle!" Harrison shouted. However, Ash knew what to do. "Sceptile, use your Leaf Storm!" A tornado of leaves whipped up, smashing the chameleon up and down. Then, when he came down on the ground, one last Leaf Blade was enough to defeat it.

"Keckleon, no!" Harrison shouted. Then, he complimented the Normal-type and retreated him. Then, he sent out his last Pokemon. "Ash, you're doing well, but you're not gonna beat Blaziken!"

"Do you think Ash can beat Blaziken?" Delia asked.

"I'm not sure. That Pokemon is very strong," Professor Oak answered.

Then, the battle began. "Sceptile, use your Leaf Blade!" Ash shouted. Sceptile ran at Blaziken for a strong attack.

"Blaziken, grab him," Harrison said. And so, the attack wasn't going to work out. "And now use Seismic Toss!" The Fighting-type jumped up, went down and smashed Sceptile against the ground.

"Now, finish it with Blaze Kick!" he shouted. When Sceptile finally stood up after the attack, he got smashed down by Blaziken's signature move. "Sceptile, you were great. Come back," Ash said softly. Then, he sent out his secret weapon: Charizard.

"Hmm, Charizard again, a rehash of last time, with a win for me again," Harrison said.

"Don't count on it," Ash countered.

"Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Let's start with your Thunderpunch!" Harrison shouted. Charizard saw Blaziken coming, tried to avoid, but the Fighting-type's jump was high enough to hit Charizard anyways.

"Oh no, a critical hit!" Brock moaned, while looking at the damaged Fire-type, who stood up and used Flamethrower on his fellow Fire type's face, without any effect.

"Charizard, Wing Attack!" Ash said. The Flying-type tried to strike the jumper, but the opponent evaded, causing Charizard to hit the wall of the battlefield, much to the audience's laughter.

Then, Charizard got a flame burning in his eyes. "He's getting crazy," Delia said.

"No. He's getting mad!" Misty replied.

"And that's good, that's when he's at his best," Professor Oak explained.

"Charizard, use your Aerial Ace!" Normally, Blaziken would avoid a blow, but this attack never misses, hitting Blaziken with an extremely strong and effective attacks.

"Blaziken, Double Kick!" Harrison commanded. However, Charizard was able to prevent any pain. He grabbed Blaziken's legs!

"Awesome! Now use Seismic Toss!" The lizard flew upwards, went down and crashed the Hoenn starter down on the ground. However, despite the major blow, the opponent stood up.

"Blaziken, both you and Charizard are almost done for, but you can still do this! Finish it with your Thunderpunch!" The Fighting Pokemon jumped up and attempted at hitting Charizard again. However, the Kanto starter flew upwards, high enough to prevent Blaziken from reaching that height.

"Charizard, finish it with your Headbutt!" The Fire-type flew at an extremely high speed, quickly hitting Blaziken, who just went down on the ground after its jump. And so, the Fighting-type wasn't counting on this and got smashed against the wall. Then, the Pokemon fell down on the ground.

"Blaziken is defeated, Charizard is the winner. Victory goes to Ash from Pallet Town, who will advance towards the next round!" the referee shouted. Then, Ash got a Flamethrower in the face from Charizard to celebrate the victory.

Some time after the battle, Ash and his friends stood outside of the stadium. Then, Lucy ran at them.

"Lucy, who won, who is my opponent on Thursday?" Ash asked.

"Gary will be your opponent in the final," Lucy answered.


	40. Chapter 40

Finally. Today, on a warm summer Thursday, Ash would finally get the chance to let one of his dreams come true. After his previous failures in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova and other regions, he finally got the chance to win a League today. After his win against Harrison last Monday, he knew he was going to battle Gary for victory in the Johto League today. Would he ever win a League? It was now or never for Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. He stood in front of the mirror in the bedroom, together with Pikachu. Thirty minutes ago, he picked up the other Pokemon he would use today at the Pokemon Center, all were in top shape, ready to fight. Then, Misty suddenly entered the bedroom and put her arms on Ash's shoulders. "Are you nervous?" she asked.

"Of course not, I'm gonna win!" Ash answered.

"Are you sure? You're trembling," Misty teased, while noticing the insecure look on her boyfriend's face.

"I'm not nervous, I'm just excited!" Ash snapped, knowing that was a lie.

"Alright then," Misty said, knowing her boyfriend was very nervous for the most important battle of his life.

Then, Lucy entered the room. "Ash, are you ready? It's time to go to the stadium!"

"Yeah", Ash said, while Pikachu jumped on his shoulder.

Then, the group walked to the stadium. "And, did my analysis of Gary's team help you?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, thanks for going to his last match for me," Ash thanked Brock's girlfriend. "Now I know some of his Pokemon's weak points, that might help."

"You're welcome," Lucy said. "You're my boyfriend's best friend, and we're friends too, so there's no reason not to help you."

"Yeah, my sweetie is both sexy and smart," Brock said. "And kind too."

"And the same goes for your daughter-in-law, mom," Ash said to Delia.

"Yeah, but do you care to explain why you're wearing the same boxers you wore yesterday?" Delia snapped, much to Lucy's, Brock's, Misty's, Professor Oak's, Pikachu's and Togetic's laughter. "I told you, you have to change your underwear once a day!"

"Um... These are my lucky boxers," Ash tried to get out of this topic.

"You never told me you had such a thing as lucky boxers," Delia countered. "You're just making stuff up! Oh well, I'll let it pass for now. But when we're back at the hotel after this battle, you're going to put on clean underwear immediately!"

"Okay, mom..." the potential Johto League winner sighed.

"Misty, Ash recently said he wore the same boxers for two months. How were you able to withstand the stench of his underwear when he wears the same for months?" Professor Oak asked.

"I've just gotten used to it, I'm immune for it now," Misty said, much to the group's laughter.

A short while later, after a lot of embarrassment for Ash and laughter for the others, the group reached the stadium. While the others went to the coaching couch, Ash and Pikachu quickly entered the battlefield. Yesterday, he already registered his Pokemon. Then, just before the battle, Brock released two instead of one Pokemon from his Poke Ball. Not only did he let Ludicolo cheer, he also held on for Butterfree for Ash, who wasn't registered for this crucial battle. And so, the butterfly was allowed to cheer, in order to support his trainer. Also, Lucy made her Milotic emerge from her Poke Ball, in order to have an extra cheerleader for Ash. Misty, as usual, gave Togetic, Azumarill, Hoppip, Psyduck, Politoed and Dewgong a chance to cheer.

Quickly after Ash's entrance, Gary also entered the field, with a group of cheerleaders standing behind him. "Gary, Gary, he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can! Go, Gary!" This caused Brock's face to go red. However, Lucy sat left from him, while Misty sat right from him, so he felt a terrible pain once both girls pulled one of his ears.

After that, the referee was ready to start the battle. "This is a six on six battle between Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak. There is no time limit. The battle ends when all Pokemon of one trainer are unable to battle. The winner will win the Johto League. Choose your Pokemon!" This battle would be played on a neutral field. No ice, grass, rocks or water, but just a regular field, to prevent giving certain Pokemon an advantage.

"Umbreon, I choose you!" Gary shouted, while hurling a Poke Ball in the air. A black, four-legged Pokemon was gritting its teeth, ready for battle.

"Umbreon won't do much damage by himself, but Lucy told me he's a great defender," Ash thought. "If there's one Pokemon good at breaking through that, it's Charizard. I have Pikachu, Bayleef and Bulbasaur to take care of Blastoise, so using Charizard from the beginning shouldn't be a big deal." Then, the fiery lizard emerged from his Poke Ball, greeting Ash with the usual Flamethrower in the face.

After the referee gave his beginning signal, the battle started. "Charizard, let's start with a Flamethrower!" Ash commanded. His Pokemon listened, but not in the way he was supposed to. He turned around, opened his mouth and spit fire in Ash's face again.

"No, Charizard, attack Umbreon, not me!" Ash snapped. His Pokemon picked up the signal, completely burning Umbreon's face as well.

"Sorry for saying this, but Ash is even hotter than normally!" Misty joked.

"Yeah, but not as hot as Brock," Lucy teased.

"Or Gary's cheerleaders," Brock said, causing Lucy to pull his ear again.

"Umbreon, use your Confuse Ray!" A dark purple aura surrounded Charizard, who was completely dazzled.

"Charizard, use your Headbutt!" Ash tried. However, Charizard was so dizzy he was unable to aim, charging his head against a wall instead of Umbreon.

"Charizard, no!" Ash thought. He knew the big lizard wasn't able to aim attacks anymore after this nasty Ghost move.

"Umbreon, now he's too dizzy to evade, use your Double-Edge!" Gary shouted. The Dark-type ran at the Fire-type, charging into the lizard, smashing him against a wall. And so, both Pokemon took quite some damage. While Umbreon hurt himself by using the risky Double-Edge and got hit by one Flamethrower, Charizard got hit by Double-Edge and smashed his head against a wall in confusion. However, thanks to the Double-Edge, Charizard wasn't confused anymore!

"Charizard, this is awesome, finish it with your Dragon Rage!" A big, bright fireball was shot at the surprised evolved form of Eevee, who collapsed instantly. "Umbreon is defeated, Charizard is the winner!"

While Gary complimented his Umbreon for its hard work and sent out his next Pokemon, Ash congratulated and complimented Charizard, receiving a Flamethrower in the face.

"Charizard versus Nidoqueen, begin!" the referee shouted.

"Nidoqueen, let's start with your Poison Sting!" Gary commanded. A great amount of purple needles were shot at the lizard, quickly hitting him, despite his attempts to avoid getting hit. The Fire-type was significantly weakened, but still able to battle.

"Charizard, Flamethrower!" Ash said. His strongest Pokemon opened his mouth and spit fire at the Poison-type.

"Nidoqueen, Mega Punch!" Professor Oak's grandson shouted. His blue Pokemon ran at Charizard, not knowing the surprise awaiting her.

"Charizard, Seismic Toss!" Ash shouted. Charizard grabbed Nidoqueen by her arms, flew up, made a circle loop and smashed his opponent against the ground, finishing her off. Then, the referee confirmed the Poison-type's defeat.

"Charizard, this is awesome!" Ash complimented. Meanwhile, Gary was already about to send out his third Pokemon, which would be his Dodrio.

"Professor, do you think Charizard can beat Dodrio?" Delia asked.

"I'm not sure. Charizard is extremely tired, he can't take much more, and Dodrio is very strong. I know that, that Pokemon has been at my lab often. But Charizard also defeated Nidoqueen while I thought he was about to be defeated, so maybe he'll surprise us again," Professor Oak answered.

"Professor, who are you cheering for, Ash or Gary?" Brock asked.

"I don't know, I'm torn... Gary is my grandson, but he barely calls me or sees me if he doesn't switch out Pokemon, and Ash is my best friend, he feels like a son to me," the professor explained, while tears flew down from the Gary's cheerleaders's faces.

"Understandable," Lucy said.

"Begin!" the referee shouted. Then, Ash told Charizard to use Wing Attack. However, he didn't count on what was going to happen next.

"Dodrio, Hyper Beam!" Gary shouted. When the lizard appeared, the three-headed bird shot three strong beams at Charizard, one from every head, instantly defeating Ash's strongest Pokemon. "Charizard is unable to battle, Dodrio is the winner!"

Then, Ash complimented his Charizard. He took another Poke Ball from his belt. "Arcanine, I choose you!" A fiery, dog-like Pokemon emerged from the red and white ball. Then, the referee told the trainers to resume the battle. "Begin!"

"Dodrio is tired from the Hyper Beam, use your Flame Wheel!" Ash shouted. The fiery tackle struck the three-headed bird, heavily damaging him. "Arrr!" the Fire-type shouted.

"Fury Attack!" the troll shouted. His Flying-type quickly ran at Arcanine, who was able to escape at first, but ended up getting pecked constantly anyways.

"Arcanine, hold on! I know you can do it!" Ash tried to encourage his Pokemon. "Use your Fire Blast!" And so, the shot of fire hit the three-headed opponent from a very small distance, causing him to faint. "Dodrio is unable to battle, Arcanine is the winner!"

And so, Ash and his Pokemon cheered. "Arrr!" the Fire-type barked from happiness. However, despite trying to hide it, the stubborn dog was extremely tired after taking various pecks during Dodrio's Fury Attack. Meanwhile, Gary was getting extremely nervous. He had only three Pokemon left, while Ash had five. Then, Gary knew who to use. "Arcanine, I choose you!" And so, both trainers were using the same Pokemon! "Arcanine versus Arcanine, begin!" the referee screamed.

"Arcanine, finish it with your Take Down!" Gary shouted. His Pokemon charged into Ash's Arcanine, who was able to jump away quickly.

"Arcanine, Extremespeed," Ash said. His Fire-type quickly ran at the opponent, striking him at blinding speed. It was enough to weaken and damage the opponent significantly, but Gary's Pokemon wasn't even close to being defeated yet.

"Use your Flare Blitz!" Gary shouted. His Arcanine charged into the opponent, quickly defeating him. "Arcanine is defeated, Arcanine is the winner!" the referee said.

"Arcanine, you did a great job. Have some rest," Ash complimented. Then, he sent out his fattest Pokemon. "Snorlax, I choose you!"

And so, the battle continued. "Snorlax, use your Mega Kick!" Ash commanded. The big, heavy Pokemon was big enough to smash the opponent upwards with his right foot. Then, his trainer told him to use Ice Punch on the Fire-type who was falling down after being kicked upwards. And so, the dog-like Pokemon suffered two heavy blows in a short amount of time. However, the Pokemon wasn't defeated yet, despite being very close to complete exhaustion.

Then, Gary knew how to take advantage of his Pokemon's tight situation. "Arcanine, use Reversal!" And so, his Pokemon used an attack that got stronger when the user is severely damaged, while the Fighting-type attack was also super effective against Snorlax, instantly defeating the Normal-type opponent in one hit!

Much to his surprise, after everything that seemed to go so well for Snorlax, Ash had to retreat the Pokemon to his Poke Ball very quickly. Everything went so well, Charizard got him a great start, but now, Ash and Gary were equal in number of Pokemon again. However, he knew Gary's Arcanine was almost done for, he wanted a fast Pokemon that could quickly dish out one hit without taking damage. And so, he told Pikachu to enter the battlefield. Then, the referee told the trainers to begin.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" As expected, and much to Togetic's pleasure, Gary's Arcanine fainted in one hit, because of the previous damage done by Ash's Arcanine and Snorlax. And so, Gary quickly chose his fifth Pokemon, Scizor.

After the referee's signal, Gary quickly resumed the battle. "Scizor, start with your Fury Cutter!" The red Pokemon quickly flew towards Pikachu and started slashing constantly, not allowing the yellow mouse to avoid even one hit. "Pika Pi!" the Pokemon screamed sadly, while Togetic looked worried.

"Pikachu, Thunder!" Ash shouted. While getting hurt, the Electric-type was still able to deliver a major blow to the Steel-type.

"And now let's continue with Volt Tackle!" the black-haired boy commanded. The Electric-type charged into the mantis at high speed, severely damaging both the opponent and himself. While Pikachu was extremely tired, Scizor still stood firm on his legs.

"Wow, that Scizor has great endurance," Lucy mentioned.

"Yeah, well, annoying bugs all have great endurance," Misty snapped.

Then, Scizor surprised Pikachu with a Silver Wind, defeating the Electric-type. While tears flew down Togetic's eyes, Ash brought the defeated Pokemon to the coaching couch. "Misty, Togetic, please take care of Pikachu for me," he said.

"Alright, good luck!" Misty said quickly. Then, Ash knew he had to select his fifth Pokemon. He had only two left: Bulbasaur and Bayleef. Both were Grass-types and matched up horribly against a Bug- and Steel-type. However, he didn't have a choice. Then, he decided the fast and nimble Bulbasaur was a better choice against Scizor, while Bayleef's persistence, work ethic, endurance and sheer power would work out nicely against Blastoise. And so, he made the Kanto-native Pokemon emerge from a Poke Ball.

"A Grass-type, huh? That's so stupid!" Gary thought. "Scizor, use your Metal Claw!" he shouted. The red Pokemon quickly flew at Bulbasaur, stabbing the Grass-type with a harsh blow.

"Bulbasaur, hang in there! Use your Frenzy Plant!" Ash said. A few big roots came out of the ground, poking and slashing Scizor, who took significant damage. However, his type resistance allowed him to survive the blow.

"Scizor, retaliate with your Slash!" Gary commanded. However, he didn't count on Bulbasaur's next move. Ash told the Grass-type to use Vine Whip. Then, the red, mantis-like Pokemon was thrown on the ground at high power, getting a great deal of damage.

"Scizor, Double-Edge!" Gary commanded. The Steel-type quickly charged into the small Grass Pokemon, smashing him against the wall with a ridiculously strong attack. However, the recoil of the exhausting attack took its toll on Scizor as well, causing the Steel-type to collapse.

"Bulbasaur and Scizor are both unable to battle," the referee said. And so, both trainers had to return their Pokemon to their Poke Balls, only having one Pokemon left.

"Blastoise, I choose you!" Gary shouted, while hurling a Poke Ball. A big, strong turtle came out of the ball, ready to battle. Meanwhile, Ash chose a less dangerous-looking Pokemon. A yellow Pokemon with a big leaf on her head entered the battlefield, ready to give her all for her trainer. "Bayleef, it all depends on you now! You can do it!" Ash tried to give his Pokemon confidence.

"Can Bayleef beat Blastoise?" Brock asked.

"Of course," Lucy said. "Bayleef is very strong and has a type advantage. And besides, during the battle between Gary and Bruno, I saw Blastoise doing well, but he's not perfect. Ash knows his weakness."

"Yeah, but Blastoise is very strong," Professor Oak countered.

"And Bayleef lost to that turtle seven years ago," Delia remembered.

"Pi Pikachu!" the yellow mouse screamed loudly, giving Bayleef some support.

"Blastoise versus Bayleef, begin!" the referee shouted.

Misty's best friend thought some cheering would be a good idea. "Togetic!"


	41. Chapter 41

Finally. Bayleef versus Blastoise. Ash versus Gary. This was the moment of Ash's life. He just had to win, he just had to! Then, the referee shouted "Begin!"

"Bayleef, let's start with your Razor Leaf!" Ash shouted. The Grass-type hurled a stream of sharp leaves at the Water-type, who withdrew in his shell to diminish the amount of damage done by the attack.

"Blastoise, Water Gun!" Gary commanded. Water was shot at the opponent at high speed. However, the Grass Pokemon put her vines against the ground to jump high.

"Very good, now Solarbeam!" Ash said. Because of the very sunny summer weather, Bayleef was able to shoot the attack immediately, without having to charge up, striking Blastoise by surprise.

"Blastoise, are you okay?" Gary asked, noticing the pain of his Pokemon. "Blas," the Pokemon growled, giving his trainer a satisfying answer. "Very good, now use Rapid Spin!" The turtle hid in his shell, quickly moved towards the Grass-type opponent and smashed her against the wall. "Bay!" she screamed.

"Bayleef, use your Petal Dance," Ash said. His Pokemon made flowers emerge from her head leaf, then made them swirl around Blastoise like a tornado, severely hurting the Water-type. "This is going well, Bayleef! Sweet!"

Meanwhile, on the bench, Ash's friends were talking about the battle. "Lucy, why did you advise Ash to use Bayleef against Blastoise and not Bulbasaur?" Brock asked.

"Because Bayleef just has more pure strength in her Grass-type attacks than Bulbasaur, and because she has more endurance," Lucy explained. "Meanwhile, Bulbasaur is better against fast, nimble opponents like Gary's Scizor, because he's faster than Bayleef."

"Ah, that makes sense," Professor Oak explained.

"I wasn't expecting Bayleef to do this well," Delia said, while the Pokemon were all cheering for Bayleef.

"Yeah, but this battle isn't finished yet," Misty countered. "I hope Ash doesn't get overconfident..."

Then, the group focused on the battle again and saw how Blastoise stood up after the Petal Dance. "Bayleef, let's end this! Use your Headbutt!" Ash shouted. His Pokemon ran at Blastoise, hoping to smash the turtle against the wall.

However, Gary told Blastoise to use Hyper Beam when Bayleef was close. And so, the Grass-type suddenly got hit by one of Blastoise's strongest attacks! She lay down on the ground for a while, struggling to stand up.

"Blastoise, finish it with your Hydro Pump!" Gary shouted. He thought the victory was there now, expecting Bayleef to be unable to avoid the attack.

Then, Bayleef finally stood up! "Bayleef, jump!" Ash shouted, quickly causing the Grass-type to put her vines against the ground. She leaped up, avoiding the strong Water-type attack.

"Great! Now use your Razor Leaf again!" Ash commanded. This time, Blastoise had no time to hide in his shell, causing the Water-type to get hit, being close to being defeated. However, Bayleef was very tired as well.

"Blastoise, finish it with Skull Bash!" Gary commanded. This time, the turtle quickly tackled the Grass-type and stroke her with his head, smashing her against the wall.

"Bayleef, can you stand up?" Ash asked. He didn't get a response.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu shouted. "Togetic!" Togetic screamed. Then, the other Pokemon cheered for Bayleef as well, hoping she would find the power to stand up.

"Bayleef is de..." the referee said, while Gary looked happy. Tears flew down Ash's eyes. "Again, I lost a League..." Ash thought. Gary's Blastoise was in a great deal of pain, but was just able to keep standing.

However, then, they got surprised: Bayleef tried to stand up and succeeded! She used her last bit of power, knew she couldn't take much more, but she didn't want to give up! "Bayleef!" Ash shouted happily, while he stopped crying. Misty, Brock, Lucy, Delia, Professor Oak, Pikachu, Togetic, Lucy's Milotic, Brock's Ludicolo and Misty's Azumarill, Hoppip, Psyduck, Politoed and Dewgong cheered loudly.

"Apologies for the inconvenience, please continue," the referee apologised.

"Bayleef, use your Razor Leaf!" Ash shouted. He knew long-distance attacks were the way to go, knowing Bayleef was too tired for physical attacks. The leaves didn't strike Blastoise. However, the Pokemon didn't give up yet and tried to make the leaves swirl, whipping up a tornado and succeeded! However, Blastoise was fast enough to avoid the attack.

"Wow, Bayleef! You just learned Leaf Storm, that's awesome!" Ash complimented.

"That's real nice, Ash, but that's not gonna stop me from beating you!" Gary said. Then, he told Blastoise to finish the battle with Mega Punch. The turtle ran at the Grass-type, hoping to finally defeat the persistent Grass-type.

Then, Ash knew what he had to do. "Bayleef, finish it with your Leaf Storm!" he shouted. Bayleef knew Blastoise wasn't able to avoid getting hurt. She hurled the sharp leaves at Blastoise, made them spin around and created a storm. The turtle got trapped in the tornado, got struck by many leaves and fell down on the ground. The turtle was almost done for, but still tried to stand up, without much success.

"Finish it with Body Slam!" Ash commanded. The Grass-type hurled her body at the strong Water-type, who had no chance to avoid. Then, the battle was finally finished. Blastoise collapsed and didn't stand up anymore.

"Blastoise is defeated, Bayleef is the winner! Victory goes to Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, the winner of the Johto League!" the referee shouted.

And so, Ash quickly ran at Bayleef to congratulate his Pokemon and celebrate the victory of their lives. He got a Body Slam-like hug from the Grass-type. When the Pallet Town-native trainer stood up, he saw his friends all entered the battlefield too, ready to celebrate the victory. Pikachu jumped on his shoulder and gave him a high-five. Then, his mother gave him a hug, while Misty kissed him on his cheek. "All of you, you're the best! Thank you all so much!" Ash said. Then, he, Bayleef and Pikachu ran at the other side of the field. "We did it! I won... The Johto League!"

"Pi Pikachu!" the Electric-type shouted, while seeing Togetic blush. "Bay Bay!" today's hero squealed. Meanwhile, while Gary complimented his Blastoise for the efforts and had a tear flowing down his right eye, his cheerleaders were crying rivers of tears. "Gary lost!" one of them shouted, while sobbing.

Ten minutes later, Ash stood on a big stage, together with his Bayleef and Pikachu, while seeing a red-haired man holding a golden trophy in one arm and a microphone in the other one. It was Lance, a Champion who also had some side jobs. He was one of the Pokemon G-Men, who protect Pokemon in trouble, and he worked as a Pokemon League official, ready to deliver the winner's prize. He spoke to the audience, complimenting Ash. "Today, we have seen an awesome new Johto League winner. His Pokemon were strong and well-trainer, he is able to improvise when needed, and both he and his Pokemon have an awesome drive to improve. Take his Bayleef for example, who took some really harsh blows, but still managed to stand up and fight on. Ash is a trainer who has all the qualities necessary to be one of the world's best Pokemon trainers. I have faith that Ash will keep working and will continue to be one of the world's best." Then, a big applause came from the stands, congratulating Ash with his well-deserved victory. Then, the Dragon trainer handed Ash the big, golden trophy, symbolizing his victory.

"Yes!" Ash screamed. "I've got... The Johto League trophy!" "Pi Pikachu!" his signature Pokemon shouted. Bayleef was still tired from the exhausting battle, but still managed to give her trainer a big hug, while shouting "Bay Bay!"

And so, both the winning and the losing finalists had to come down to the press room, where a group of journalists gathered to ask the battlers about the match. While Ash's friends and Gary's cheerleaders were there to attend this event and listen to the answers, the two arch rivals from Pallet Town sat next to each other in the stadium's press room. Then, the questions started coming.

"Ash, what was the key for victory today?" a reporter from the Blackthorn City Daily asked.

"Well, like Lance said during the ceremony, both improvising and the pure will to win, persistence. Both my Pokemon and I did this," the winner answered.

"Gary, do you think Ash deserved this win?" an interviewer for national television asked.

"Well, my cheerleaders say he doesn't, and the battle was very close," Gary said. "However, I have to admit Bayleef really deserved it. However, it's still painful... Coming this far, and then losing such an important battle..."

"Do you think you'll ever reach a final round in a national League again?" a journalist from Pallet Town TV asked.

"Probably, with the support of my cheerleaders and my awesome tactical skills, I should be able to," the loser answered.

And so, after thirty minutes and numerous questions, the press conference was almost at its end. "Ash, at the end of this press conference, is there anything you'd like to say to Gary after this battle?" the reporter from Pallet Town TV asked.

"Ash was here, Gary is a loser!" the Johto League winner teased. "Bay Bay!" his Grass-type Pokemon added to that.

And so, a big party and two days later, Ash and Misty were relaxing at the beach of Humilau. Two days ago, after Ash's victory, he and his friends had a big party at the hotel room. He bragged endlessly to Lucy, switched his underwear to please his mother, talked to Professor Oak about his Pokemon, talked to Brock about hot girls, got a great meal cooked by his mom and even got Misty to drink her first beer, something she refused back when she won the Whirl Cup. Then, after saying goodbye to Delia, Professor Oak, Brock and Lucy and sending Charizard and Butterfree back to their homes, the couple took the train to Humilau City, where they would enjoy a well-deserved beach vacation. Even Pikachu and Togetic were sunbathing, being next to each other on a light blue towel on the crowded beach. However, even on a holiday, there wasn't always rest for our heroes...

"Hey, what's that?" Ash asked, while wearing his red swimming trunks and being half-asleep on his white towel. while pointing at a big, red, Magikarp-shaped submarine.

"It's Team Rocket again..." Misty moaned. She wore the slightly too skimpy black bikini Ash loved to see her wear. However, at this moment, he had more eye for the evil trio than for his girlfriend's looks.

Then, the red-haired lady, the purple-haired man and the cat-like Pokemon stood on their submarine. "Prepare for trouble!" Jessie shouted.

"And make it double!" James added to that.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!" the Pokemon ended the anthem.

"Team Rocket! Why can't you leave us alone on our holiday?" Ash asked.

"Because we want Pikachu, and all the other strong Pokemon the people at this beach have!" James answered.

"Hey!" a surfer wearing swimming trunks shouted. "That's not cool, man!" Then, other people started protesting. "Peace, man! Don't steal other people's Pokemon!"

"Pikachu, hit them with your Thunderbolt!" the boy from Pallet Town shouted. However, the attack didn't reach far enough to strike the evil trio.

Then, Ash knew what to do. He saw the surfer's surfboard. "Hey, could I borrow that thing?"

"Um... Sure, man..." the man said. "Here you go."

"Pikachu, you know what to do," Ash said. And so, the yellow mouse jumped on the surfboard, moved closer towards Team Rocket and zapped them with a Thunderbolt. "Team Rocket is blasting off again!" Jessie and James shouted. "Meowth!" the cat added.

"Yay, we did it!" Ash cheered, while noticing Pikachu was back at the shore. Then, Ash gave the surfboard back to its owner. "That was cool, man!" he said. Then, he went off to the water, to catch some waves.

"I hope those three will finally leave us alone someday," Misty said, while her boyfriend and Pikachu were back on their towels.

"Yeah, they're stalkers," Ash said.

Then, a tanned, shirtless man walked up to Misty. "Hey, are you Misty, the girl who won the Whirl Cup?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," the former Cerulean City Gym Leader answered.

"Cool! I saw you on TV, you're pretty, and you're an awesome trainer," the man complimented. "I'm Marlon, the Humilau City Gym Leader."

"Thanks for the compliments, it's always nice to meet fans of mine," Misty said.

"So, how about a quick battle?" Marlon asked.

"You bet," Misty responded. While Ash made sure no one would steal Misty's spot on the beach, Misty and Togetic walked up to the shore.

"This is a one on one battle, okay?" Marlon asked.

"Sure," Misty said, while Togetic growled softly, being ready to battle. "To Togetic!"

"Okay then," the Gym Leader said, while hurling a Poke Ball. "Jellicent, I choose you!" A blue Pokemon emerged from the Poke Ball.

"I knew you were probably hoping for me to use a Water-type Pokemon, but are you okay with it if I'd use Togetic?" Misty asked. "She hasn't battled in some time and is ready to go!"

"That's fine with me," Marlon answered. "Let's begin!" His Pokemon was floating in the sea, while Togetic hovered in the air above the water.

"Togetic, let's start with your Solarbeam!" Misty shouted. The Happiness Pokemon took a deep breath, looked at the sun and shot a strong beam at the Ghost-type opponent, instantly defeating him!

"Jellicent, it's fine," Marlon said, while retreating his Pokemon. "Wow, Misty, that Togetic is pretty damn strong! It's not a Water Pokemon, can't be used for your big dream, and is still so strong!"

"Thanks," Misty said, while receiving a hug from Togetic. "Yeah, Togetic and I train frequently, and I also try to let her battle frequently. But mostly, she's like a sister to me. I love my other Pokemon too, but the bond I have with Togetic will always be the most special."

"Wow, what do you mean?" Marlon asked.

"I met her when she was a baby Togepi, I saw her hatch from the egg. She saw me as her mother, I've taken care of her like she was my child," Misty explained, while Togetic nodded. "Then, one day, she evolved and had to protect a group of Togepi, so I had to release her. Then, when my sisters forced me to become the new Cerulean City Gym Leader against my will, I was stuck at the Gym and suffered from depressions. When I was fifteen year old, Togetic brought a spark of positivity in my life by returning to me. She gave me the guts to escape the Gym and pursue my dream of becoming a Water Pokemon Master and be with the guy I love. Now, she's like the good sister to me, the good sister my real sisters never were."

"That's cool, Pokemon can sometimes be better friends than other humans," Marlon answered.

"I know, right? I would've never achieved anything without Togetic! Thanks to her, I won the Whirl Cup. Without her, I'd still be a depressed Gym Leader," Misty explained. "To Togetic!" the Pokemon squealed, while hugging her trainer.

"Thanks for the battle. I might've lost, but I've heard an awesome story that's worth more than a win," Marlon said. "You're so cool!"

"Thanks, bye! It was nice to meet you," Misty said. Then, she went back to Ash and Pikachu, who both fell asleep.

"Ash, wake up!" Misty shouted in her boyfriend's ear, just before kissing him on his cheek. Meanwhile, Pikachu got a kiss on his red, bright left cheek from Togetic, causing the Electric-type to wake up.

"Um... Zzz... Did you beat Marlon?" Ash asked.

"Yes, thanks to Togetic," Misty said, while Pikachu congratulated his girlfriend with her immensely strong Solarbeam. Of course the move was boosted by the bright, sunny, tropical weather in Humilau City, but still, Togetic did a great job.

"It's awesome how far we reached in just one year, huh?" Misty asked.

"Yeah, I won the League, you won the Whirl Cup, and our Pokemon have grown a lot..." Ash said.

"Yeah, and we had each other," Ash said. "I've been on quite some journeys now, but this was the best one. And not just because I finally won a League, but also because you were with me."

"I agree," Misty said. "Sure, we were together seven years ago too, but you didn't realize your feelings and I didn't have the guts to outright tell you. Now, we didn't have to repress our emotions anymore."

"Yeah, and it seems like Pikachu is stronger than ever before," Ash said.

"That's because he has Togetic with him now," Misty explained. "I'm so glad we're also making our Pokemon happier by being together."

"Me too," Ash said. "But this journey is our best so far, but our next quest to Hoenn will be even better! And maybe the travels to other regions after that will be even better! Who knows, maybe I win another League again! Or maybe you win more Water Pokemon tournaments and earn yourself even more fame!"

"But first, let's be lazy and enjoy this holiday," Ash said. "Beach vacations are often about sun, sea and hot girls. And the sun is shining, I can swim in the sea if I want to, and you're a hot girl!"

"Don't you mean beautiful girls?" Misty asked.

"No, I mean hot," Ash teased.

"You might sometimes be an unromantic jerk, but oh, I love you so much!" Misty said, while hugging her boyfriend. Pikachu received a hug as well, a hug from Togetic.


	42. Chapter 42

And so, eight years later, many things changed. But there were also many things that stayed the same. Ash might've won many Leagues, became a Champion and grown his hair, he was still as dense and unromantic as always. And while Misty's hair was shorter now, her list of prizes was longer. Not only did she win multiple Water Pokemon-related tournaments like the Whirl Cup in different regions, she also was recognized as a best Water Pokemon Master and became Kanto's strongest Elite Four member. But she still had her temper. Yesterday, the happy couple even got married! The two settled down in a big house in Pallet Town, where they would live from now on. There, Ash was able to visit his mother, his friend Professor Oak and his Pokemon at the Laboratory every single day. Meanwhile, Misty had a big lake in the garden of their mansion for her Water Pokemon.

The day after the wedding, late on a warm summer evening, Ash was waiting for his girlfriend and her Togetic in front of the hospital door. To kill some time, he was flipping through a photo book with pictures of his friends. On the first page, he saw his mother, Mimey and Professor Oak. While Delia finally found a new partner, the professor recently retired. However, he still lived at his laboratory, he was incapable of leaving all his work behind. Because of that, he often helps his successor when taking care of the Pokemon or working on research.

Then, Ash flipped over to the second page. He saw Brock and Lucy in front of the Battle Pike, together with a beautiful Milotic and a jolly Ludicolo. He thought about the time he visited their wedding, the moment Brock was dreaming of for his entire life. "I'm so happy Brock is finally one of the world's best Pokemon Breeders, he even has his own TV show about Pokemon breeding now!" he said.

"Pi Pikachu!" the yellow Pokemon squealed.

"And Lucy got an award for being the strongest Frontier Brain in the world!" Kanto's Champion shouted. Then, he looked at the next page, a photo of Tracey and the Sensational Sisters. While he thought about his brother-in-law, who became Professor Oak's successor and lived at the Laboratory with Daisy, he also remembered how Misty found the power to forgive her other two sisters for the horrible things they did to the fourth Kanto Elite Four member. Even though Lily and Violet were just as shallow as before, they still had successful careers as models for fashion magazines. The contest dress store in Cerulean City got a giant boost from their work. Meanwhile, Dorian was still doing well at the Cerulean City Gym.

"Pi Pi Pi!" the yellow Pokemon on his shoulder said, while turning over the page. There, he and his trainer saw May and Drew, who both won the Grand Festival various times and lived together in Littleroot Town now. Then, on the page after that, he saw Dawn and Zoey. Both girls were Top Coordinators as well. On the photo, Piplup was holding a ribbon.

Another page later, Ash saw Iris and Cilan. These friends were successful in life as well. While Cilan was the world's best Sommelier, Iris finally was recognized as one of the world's best Dragon Masters and became one of Unova's Elite Four, she was a successful replacement for Shauntal, who decided to work on her writing career and ended her time as an Elite Four member.

Then, Misty finally came out of the door. "Ash, I've got some news for you!"

"I don't really get it..." Ash said.

"Let's go to the hill close to here, it'll be more romantic that way," Misty suggested. "The moon is shining, it's so beautiful there now!" And so, the couple walked a short while. Even though Togetic had wings, Misty carried her for a special occasion.

"What's up with Togetic?" Ash asked.

"You'll see when we're up at that hill," Misty teased, while they walked through a small neighborhood with old houses.

"I don't get it," Ash said, looking clueless.

"Oh, you'll see later, just wait a few minutes!" Misty said.

"Are you sure I'm gonna like this?" Ash asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Misty assured.

"And is this good news for Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"Pikapi?" the Electric-type asked, while the couple finally reached the park.

"Toge Togetic!" the Happiness Pokemon answered, while gently nodding.

"Ash, I'm sure, it's awesome! Trust me," Misty said, while the couple finally reached the top of the small, green hill in the park.

"Well, it's time now, we're there," Ash said.

"Wait, look at Togetic!" Misty said. "Come on, Togetic, push!" she encouraged. And so, an egg emerged from the white Pokemon! While, Ash held it in his arms, the Happiness Pokemon flew out of Misty's arms and gently kissed Pikachu on his left cheek.

"Pikachu, did you...?" Ash asked.

"Pi Pikachu!" the small Pokemon nodded. Then, Togetic started laughing. "Toge Togetic!" she squealed.

"This is awesome, Togetic!" Misty complimented. "I'm sure you'll be a great mother."

"Was this why we went to this hill?" Ash asked.

"Well, this is a part of it, but not the only reason," Misty answered. "There's more."

"I don't get it..." Ash moaned. "What are you talking about?"

Then, Misty quickly checked if there was indeed no one around. Then, she took off her top. She still wore a white bra under it, but still didn't want to be seen by others than her husband, Togetic and Pikachu. "Ash, feel my belly," she said.

"Huh? Why?" her husband asked. "I really don't get it..."

"Please just feel my belly," Misty tried. "Then I think you'll understand."

"Alright," Ash replied, while gently putting his hand on that part of his wife's body, covering her bellybutton. However, he still didn't understand why he had to do this.

Then, Misty looked her husband deep in the eyes and said "Ash, you're gonna be a daddy!"


End file.
